February 5, 2026 — One by one, each Pope senior basketball player took the microphone and read heartfelt words put to paper. Every note offered thanks to coaches and parents. Some included inside jokes that elicited laughter. Most shared how important Pope’s basketball program has been to them. This Senior Letter Ceremony has become what Head Coach Pat Abney calls one of his favorite parts of each season.
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“It’s a great way to honor the parents and hear the boys talk about more than just the basketball side of our program,” Coach Abney said after this year’s ceremony. “Everyone gets to hear all the other things that comes with being a part of a team and something bigger than themselves that often gets lost in the wins/losses of the season.”
Coach Abney has been at Pope for 33 years. This is his 24th year as the team’s head coach. This end-of-season event, though, has been part of the program for only the last 15 years. The idea came out of a Coaches Bible Study in the fall of 2014. The Pope staff at the time decided to try it out with their players, and it was so well-received, that it has been a part of their program ever since.
Coach Abney makes sure to schedule a night that all Pope boys basketball players, including those from the feeder programs, can attend. It’s an essential step for upcoming players to see how important the game and the team are to those who have grown up in the system. As expected, there were emotional moments, tears from parents, and plenty of laughs during this year’s ceremony. The players acknowledged their parents’ sacrifices, the coaching staff’s challenges and encouragement, and friendships with teammates. Each had memorable portions to their letters.
- Senior guard Beck Chaney – “Mom and Dad, thank you for pushing me when I needed it, believing in me when I doubted myself, and always reminding me what really matters. I wouldn’t be the player or the person I am today without your love and support.”
- Senior forward Jack Kerns – “It’s hard to put into words what this sport has meant to me. It has shaped me in many ways I never expected, teaching me many life lessons.”
- Senior guard Stanton German II, who came to the Pope program in middle school – “Coach Abney, the past six years have been the best six years of my life, and you played a huge part in that. He’s yet to give me a reason to believe that he doesn’t believe in me.”
- Senior forward Thomas Williams – “Coach Abney, you made me love basketball. I feel lucky to say that I haven’t just played for you—I’ve grown into the person I am today because of you.”
- Senior center Jackson Lee singled out his parents for helping him through several injuries and still supporting him “to help my dreams for basketball become a reality.”
- Senior center Wyatt Zellers brought tons of levity with his speech, including telling the crowd, “My mom said if this didn’t make her cry, she would ground me.”
Without question, this night is always special for Coach Abney, but it held even more significance this year, as his son, Drew, is a senior guard on the team. In his letter, Drew singled out each one of his senior teammates to let them know how special they were to him before turning his attention to his parents.
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“Mom, words cannot describe how thankful I am for you,” the coach’s son read. “I’m thankful for your daily love: the early-morning talks, early-morning drives, the late-night convos. Dad, I wondered if it made sense that I wanted to end up playing for you. Growing up, I’ve always wanted this. I hope the guys and I can get one more region championship for you. Thank you for being my hero. I love you.”
Coach Abney closed the evening with tears in his eyes and then shared a hug with each player. The hug with his son held a little longer.
“I figured I would be emotional hearing him up there, and I was,” the longtime coach said, “but I was so proud of all he had to say and super thankful we had the opportunity to do this together. Not just high school ball, but truly 18 years of it with him growing up in the gym at Pope as a coach’s son and now as a player. God has really blessed me in my time at Pope, but the last three years have been super sweet with him being with me on varsity and all the extra time we've been able to have together.”
On a night filled with gratitude, laughter, and tears, the Pope basketball family was reminded that the strongest bonds are not built on a score sheet, but in the moments shared along the way.
