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Hairston stayed; rest is history BASKETBALL
High school basketball: Courtland prepares for state championship gameDate published: 3/14/2009 By RICH CAMPBELL BY RICH CAMPBELL Keith and Natalie Hairston realized long ago that their son, Josh, would face some difficult decisions early in his life, choices that involve special opportunities most people can only dream of. The indicators were especially evident during Josh's annual physical exams as a child. "From the time he was born, Josh always was off the scale in every category," Keith Hairston said. "He would max everything." They were also apparent any time Josh stepped on the basketball court. His talent was unmistakable. And when Josh paired that ability with his unique physical endowments, it was obvious that basketball could be much more than his hobby. It could be his ticket to a free college education, the fame and prestige that go hand in hand with high-level college ball, and more. The Hairstons naturally were determined to maximize Josh's special combination of height and skill, but they have gone about it in a way that bucks a recent trend in the Fredericksburg area. Josh has eschewed some attractive scholarship offers from several preparatory schools with high-caliber basketball programs to remain at Courtland High. Instead of leaving home to magnify his national exposure and develop his game by playing with and against Division I-caliber players on a daily basis, as most of the top local players have done in the last decade, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound junior stayed put and led the Cougars to tonight's Group AA Division 4 state championship game. Courtland plays Salem tonight at 9 p.m. at the Siegel Center in Richmond. Simultaneously, with the help of his participation on a top summer league team in Washington, he has earned a full basketball scholarship to Duke University.
Date published: 3/14/2009
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