Aug. 3, 2006

Some student-athletes see the summer as a time to work on their sport and improve their game. Others see it as a time to take a break and do something constructive. Mason senior basketball player Gabe Norwood was able to accomplish both this summer as he spent two weeks in the Philippines as part of Athletes in Action.

Athletes in Action is a sports ministry that allows athletes to communicate their faith to those in other parts of the world. Six different teams were sent out around the world and Norwood, who is a quarter Filipino, made the obvious choice of traveling to the South Pacific.

The team played eight games during their two weeks on the other side of the world, winning all eight contests. Seven of those games were against universities with the final contest coming against the national team. Most of the time was spent in Manila with a trip to Baguio City in the fortnight's final days.

"For me, it was great because it was a cultural thing," Norwood said. "I'm a quarter Filipino, so it was a chance to see a part of my heritage. I didn't know it was such a basketball crazy place, though."

Norwood said it was routine to see, at 7:30 in the morning, courts packed with games of 3-on-3. Norwood also found out how much nationalistic pride they have as well.

"They have a lot of pride in the culture," Norwood said. "We were there for a few days when a couple of our tour guides found out I had some Filipino blood. They let everyone know it when we went to play."

One member of the Athletes in Action group said that traveling with Norwood was like traveling with a rock star. Everyone wanted a photo with him and arenas would go crazy when he threw down one of the alley-oop dunks Mason fans know he's famous for.

Of the experience, Norwood said "It was kind of like the Final Four all over again."

Not a bad way to spend the summer.