This Athlete Never Fails to Amaze His Teammates, Fans

This athlete never fails to amaze his teammates, fans Posted by South Jersey News Online January 10, 2008 8:00PM Brad Hennefer plays basketball for Cherry Hill East High School. He may be the only high school athlete in the country with Down syndrome who plays two varsity sports--golf and basketball. By Bob Shryockbshryock@sjnewsco.com Brad Hennefer launched a three-pointer from the right side, a few feet behind the arc, with three seconds to play in Cherry Hill East's pre-holiday game at Washington Township. Swish. Nothing but net. And fans and players from both schools erupted in a thunderous cheer. Which is something you almost never see, especially since Hennefer's trey merely cut CHE's final deficit to 26 points (68-42). But Brad (known by many as "B-Rad") Hennefer is not a typical scholastic basketball player. He may be the only high school athlete in the country with Down syndrome who plays two varsity sports -- golf and basketball. He has lettered in golf since a freshman and has won letters in basketball (frosh hoops, sophomore and junior JV) three years as well. Nothing Brad does surprises us," says Bob Hennefer, his dad. "It's hard to believe what he's accomplished. It's hard for many to believe he has Down's." Bob taped the CHE-Township game, as he almost always does. "That shot ranks up there with our thrills," Bob says. "But you have to look beyond the shot. When he made it, every kid on the team was standing and cheering with their arms in the air. Brad's teammates are incredible kids." The three-pointer at Washington Township is Brad's only official basket of the season although he was 5-for-11, all threes, in a pre-season scrim with Rancocas Valley, South Jersey's top-rated team. He's been used sparingly in games, but Bob Hennefer credits East coach John Valore and the school administration with their unwavering support of his son. According to Bob, Brad is able to take part in "98 percent" of the team's drills. Former Gloucester Catholic athletes Barry Coniglio and Steve Mondile played in an Ocean City, Md. golf tournament with Brad and his dad last fall -- "Scouting for a Cure," an event run by major league scout Will George to fund a foundation in his wife's memory -- and were amazed by Brad's ability. With the foursome using Brad's 280-yard tee shots on half the holes, Team Hennefer finished second in the scramble at nine-under-par. But the 10-under winning team "borrowed" one of Brad's boomers. Coniglio, a Mantua chiropractor, went to the basketball game after meeting Brad and had high praise for the sportsmanship displayed by Washington Township after Brad scored. Brad, 19, is defending New Jersey Special Olympics gold medalist in golf and has won countless medals in three events (basketball and powerlifting). He's 5-10, 155 pounds, and, according to his dad, works out regularly and "is in very good shape." The Hennefers have showed their support for Downs children by founding a Down's basketball league and starting and co-directing "Golf for Life" which six of the country's 41 PGA sections, including Philadelphia, already are embracing. Brad works part-time at Wegman's mega-market in Cherry Hill and part-time at Woodcrest Country Club, where his only sibling, Bob Jr., is an assistant golf professional. Woodcrest is CHE's home course. Brad is also an accomplished public speaker who has made appearances around the country including a Golf For Life clinic at Princeton. When he ripped a 280-yard drive at an event in Ohio, former Bengals' all-NFL lineman Anthony Munoz said it was "the most amazing thing" he'd ever seen. But amazing is the norm for Brad. Bob Hennefer said his son plans to go on to college (Camden C.C. or Mercer) "because he doesn't want to stop his education." Bob said he isn't sure if he and his wife could have written a better script for their son's full life. "It's due to the school, faculty, staff ... and the kids," Bob says.