Jade Desroches: Can't-miss kid about to add to family's legacy

The first time I met Jade Desrochers was five years ago. I was helping coach the Enosburg girls basketball team at the time and was running a summer open gym.

I remember four or five kids showed up, most of whom I knew. There was one kid whom I did not know.

She was 4-foot-nothing. The ball seemed bigger than her.

I turned to one of the girls and asked: "Who invited the fourth grader?"

The girl stared at me with a look of disbelief.

"You don't know who that is? That's Jade Desroches," came the hushed reply, revealing in its tone a level of reverance that surprised me.

Five minutes later, I was in awe, too.

I've told this story so many times I'm sure I've added to the legend, but what I remember is this little wisp of a child walking over to the ball rack, bouncing the ball a couple of times, toeing the 3-point line, a little hop, followed by a big push from a slender right arm and ending with a delicate flick of the wrist. Swish.

Seconds later, from a little further back on the opposite side of the floor. Swish. And it continued. Little further back. Swish. 

I lost count after five straight as I was too busy picking my jaw up from off the floor.

I later learned that she was the cousin of Lindsey Larivee - who was heading into her sophomore season with the Hornets after a brilliant freshman campaign that ended with a state title. Larivee had a great shooting stroke, too.

But Desroches, even though she was heading into her eighth grade, was better (at least on that day) and I told her so. And I told her to tell Lindsey. The aghast look on her face told me she wasn't about to do that.

In hindsight, I learned a lot about Jade that day - that she's a quiet kid, but prideful. That she's a tremendously talented athlete, but humble. That she comes from a great basketball family, but she is now, as she was then, eager to make her own mark.

And tonight, with any luck, she will do just that when she becomes the fourth Enosburg girls basketball player - and fifth member of the Larose family - to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

To read more about Jade and her quest to reach 1,000, here's a link to a story I wrote on Examiner.com.

SHAWN CORROW, when he's not being very happy for a really nice kid from a fine family, is owner of Cold Hollow Photography and a freelance photo journalist. He maintains this blog, his photo website www.coldhollowphoto.com and you can follow him on Facebook (Shawn Corrow) and Twitter @scorrow or you can email him at shawn@coldhollowphoto.com

Tickets please

The Senior Class of 2010 at Enosburg Falls High School is conducting a raffle until the end of April with a grand prize of a pair of premium tickets to game at historic Fenway Park in Boston between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

The game is scheduled for May 8, 2010. The seats are in Loge Section 129, row LL. The face value of these seats is $95 these seats retail on the secondary market for 4 times as much per seat.

The senior class is selling up to 750 tickets for just $10 each.

If the class sells all 750 tickets, then $1,000 each will also be donated to the Vermont Food Bank and a Haitian Relief Fund.

If under 750 tickets are sold, proceeds from any tickets over 550 will be split between the two charities.

“These are great seats and an offer of $1,000 has already been made to purchase them outright,” said Enosburg athletic director Chris Brigham, an avid Red Sox fan. “Sports fans and non-sports fans alike can benefit as the resale value is very high.”

If you would like more information or would like to purchase tickets contact a senior at EFHS or call Brigham at 933-7777, ext. 146.