Since Calvin Mason has served as head coach of the Nansemond River High School girls’ basketball team, he has made community service a regular part of his players’ lives. This December, they made a very personal and special impact here in Suffolk.

“We decided to adopt a family,” Mason said.

They went to the Department of Social Services and were given a family that needed some help in the Christmas holidays — a grandparent with custody of two grandchildren.

“We didn’t want to just buy toys,” Mason said. “We wanted to try to help out in whatever way we could, so we tried to donate a little bit of everything.”

This included clothing items and food along with toys. Mason and some of his players made the delivery on Christmas Day.

“It’s a small sacrifice,” Mason said. “The children were really happy.”

Mason said he believes community service is important and therefore encourages his players to take part.

“My goal ultimately is for them to be well-rounded,” he said. “I want them to be good basketball players, we understand that, but I also want them to be well-rounded young ladies.”

Correspondingly, he ensures that life lessons for the Lady Warriors come both on and off the court.

“I want them to understand to be a part of the community, you have to give back to the community,” he said. “If you give back to the community, it becomes a better place to live.”

Junior guard/forward Kaela Arroyo reflected on what it was like making a home delivery to the team’s adopted family on Christmas.

“I felt like it was a good place to be at the time because I knew they needed help, and I was happy that I was there to support them and to make them have a good Christmas,” she said.

She said she learned the importance of setting aside selfishness and thinking of others.

“If you can do something, do it and try to help them,” she said.

Serving others helped junior forward Annecia Woods reevaluate her own life circumstances.

“It makes you realize how blessed you really are,” she said.

It also taught her to give back more often.

“You never know how many people in the world need extra help, and you can give help,” she said.

Mason said the team will continue to help the family as the season progresses. Trying to give it a merry Christmas was simply first on the list.

Earlier in December, the Lady Warriors also participated in an Angel Tree project. The team obtained eight or nine names of students attending Nansemond River who, for various reasons, needed items for Christmas, and the team purchased those items for them.