LOCK HAVEN — On the court, he goes by the name of “Broadway.”

He wears a microphone, sits with members of the crowd, and heckles his competition.

He’ll hike an opponent’s pants up past his waist. Broadway will hug his opponent before a jump ball. He’ll even stop and pose for a quick snapshot — while the ball is still in play. Even the referee is fair game in this game, poking fun at his shirt and weight.

Before the magic and the antics of the Harlem Wizards begin, Eric “Broadway” Jones does whatever he can to make the show go on.

On this Tuesday, he’s setting up a table right in front of the Thomas Fieldhouse entrance. He displays merchandise, unfolds T-shirts and greets fans as they enter the gymnasium.

Watch him and the smile never leaves his face.

Fans walk by, and he takes a few moments to greet them or share a laugh.

“That’s what this is all about. It’s about fun, entertainment and the kids,” he said. “To be honest, I wouldn’t choose to do anything else with my life. I have the best job possible.”

Jones is one of seven members of the Harlem Wizards to spend time in the Clinton County community Tuesday. Besides entertaining the crowd at Lock Haven University in the evening, the Wizards spend the morning and afternoon traveling to different schools to spread their message and bring a smile to a child’s face.

Although their antics bring the crowd to a roar, and their athletic ability is remarkable and untouchable, the real goal of this show was the children seated throughout.

“It’s an amazing experience that you have the opportunity to be a professional athlete and to be a role model for these kids,” Jones said. “It’s an honor and blessing to know that you can entertain kids on a daily basis. It’s a wonderful feeling because not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to do something like that. It’s a blessing to be able to see the smile on the kid’s faces. It’s something that I cherish and never take for granted.”

The life of a Wizard is tiresome, there’s no doubt. Night after night, city after city, and time spent away from family and friends.

For the group, it’s about the kids — no matter the time, hard work and sweat that goes into the show and the antics the group brings to the court.

“But when you walk into a gym and see 200 or 300 kids waiting for you to entertain them, that’s what gives you the energy,” Arnold “The A-Train” Bernard said. “You can’t help but get geared up to have fun when you see the smile on their faces.

“If we can put one smile on a kid’s face throughout this night, then we’ve done our job as entertainers. You know coming in that it’s hard to please everyone. But if we can change one person’s life that day and get their minds off their troubles, then we’ve done our job.”

While the team’s winning streak exceeds 3,000 games, their opponents on this night is your neighbor, a local mayor, your child’s middle school principal and your local media celebrities.

“That’s what makes an event like this great,” Jermaine “The Manic” Wright said. “People can connect with the opponents we are playing. It’s your average person; a fire fighter, a teacher, a community person. It’s about fun and enjoying life. This is what we live for as athletes. In my opinion, this is the best job you can have. You are going to work, but in reality, it’s not work because we all love doing what we do.”

Their opponents, watching the Wizards warm-up, probably weren’t thinking the same thing.

“When coach (John Wilson) asked me, I thought he was hard-up for a player,” LHU boxing assistant coach Ken Cooper joked. “Seriously, I am honored to be a member of an event like this because it’s such a great one for the community. It’s outstanding to get a group like the Wizards to come into our community. It’s a good thing because you have an opportunity to get the kids out, and it’s a great night for them. I’ve been really impressed with them as an organization, and I’ve been extremely pleased with the message they have spread to the youth.”

Cooper’s teammate, That’s the Scoop owner, Mark Helbley agreed.

“When I found out about this, I jumped at the chance right away,” he said. “Any time you can be involved with something that supports the community, it’s an important thing. It’s going to be a fun event for everyone.”

And as the Wizards embark on their next journey today, the location may change, but the mission stays the same.

“Being an entertainer and athlete, we have a knack for picking out kids that are maybe going through some tough times or something going on in their lives,” Jones said. “It gives them an extra lift. You want to find those kids and give them some positive energy. People have said to us that seeing us really helped to put their lives in the right direction. That’s some pretty powerful stuff right there when you hear something like that.”

Article Courtesy of the Lock Haven Express and Sports Editor Tom Fox, article written by Tom Fox (tfox@lockhaven.com)