08 Jan 2014 Dather, Eagles think 'big' in 2014
by Mark Oliver
In elementary school, a young Caleb Dather could be seen dribbling up and down the court for Upward basketball in Conway. Today, the 6-foot-5 senior center contributes in a big way for the Conway Christian Eagles.
“I was raised playing basketball,” Dather said. “I always played in Upward basketball in Conway when I was younger. I liked it, so I kept playing every year.”
Dather was nominated by his coach, Brian Narretto, and was selected for the inaugural 501 Basketball Team. Nominations were weighted equally between on- and off-the-court attributes.
“Caleb works hard in everything he chooses to do,” Narretto said. “He hits the books as hard as he hits the boards.”
This year, Dather views his final season as a Conway Christian Eagle as a perfect opportunity for the team to soar to new heights.
“We have big expectations this year,” Dather said. “We lost a lot of big players last year with the senior class, and we are mostly younger kids this year. It’s like our football season this year — we had a lot of sophomores — but they stepped up and filled big shoes, and we made it farther than a lot of people expected us to. I think we will do the same this year in basketball.”
Though the Eagles may not be as senior-laden as in previous years, Dather tries to lead his teammates to be the best they can be on the court.
“I always try to be an encourager,” Dather said. “I try to talk them up and tell them that they can do whatever they set their hearts to. They’re already pretty good players, and I have faith in them.”
Dather, who was also named to the 501 Football Team last year and led the Eagles to the second round of the Class 2A playoffs, says the switch from football season to basketball season can be tough to manage.
“It’s hard on the shins, that’s for sure,” Dather said. “Because of the quick transition from football to basketball, I still play pretty aggressively. Coach Narretto always messes with me about fouling out within the first quarter for being so physical on the court.”
Despite his successes in athletics, however, Dather says that being a two-sport player has its share of challenges.
“I have to work on every aspect of my play in order to better myself,” Dather said. “Basketball has never been my strongest sport, so I really just want to come out this year and shock everyone. I want to become a big, important player on my team and lead us to places we’ve never been before.”
Off the court, Dather is involved with Beta Club, Drama Club and History Club at Conway Christian High School. He plans to attend college after graduation.
“I’m still choosing between schools right now, and I’m unsure whether or not my plans will include athletics,” Dather said. “For my major, I’m thinking of pursuing a focus in either business or finance.”
Outside of school, Dather is involved in his church youth group and also volunteers at the Faulkner County Senior Citizens Center, the Conway Human Development Center, daycare centers and food pantries around Faulkner County.
“There’s always something to do here in the 501,” Dather said. “It’s a really fun place to be with all your friends, and with the community we have here it’s a great place to live.”
Dather and the Eagles play at Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. today, travel to Hector on Friday and take on cross-town rival St. Joseph on Tuesday.
