January 28, 2004
The struggle continues for Jack Nixon
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
Four years ago, Jack Nixon was having another strong season of basketball for the Ocean City
Intermediate School team. It was his second year in eighth grade, his family deciding to hold him back a
year so he would have maximum maturity when he was a senior in high school. At the time it looked like
he was destined to be a solid player in the Cape-Atlantic League.
Sadly, in the past four years, Nixon has played in just 29 varsity games.
“It’s really a shame what has happened to him,” said Larry Blohm, his eighth grade coach. “Jack is a nice
kid and he worked very hard at basketball. It was his main love. It was a pleasure to coach him. He was a
hard worker and a good leader.”
Nixon went to St. Augustine Prep as a freshman, playing a lot of junior varsity basketball and in a handful
of varsity games. But he decided to return to Ocean City as a sophomore, joining his teammates from
eighth grade.
Since he didn’t earn a varsity letter his freshman year at The Prep, Nixon needed only six days of practice
and he could join the Raiders. On the first day of practice, he tore his ACL, requiring season-ending
surgery.
“It was like a scene in a bad sports movie,” said OCHS coach John Bruno. “You could see in the 45
minutes he worked out that he would help us, then he goes down for the season.”
As a junior, Nixon played in 22 games for Ocean City (he missed one with a sprained ankle) and was the
team’s third leading scorer with 8.5 points a game. He was also third in rebounds, second in steals and
third in assists.
“That’s what he has,” said Blohm, “a complete game. He is at his best penetrating. He’s not the kind of
player who will hit four or five from three-point range. He sees the court well on both offense and defense.”
Nixon worked all summer at camps and, during the weeks he didn’t go to a camp, spent five days in the
gym. He was in the best shape of his life, ready for that big final season of his high school career – the
season that would make up for the struggles of the first two years.
Then, one morning, about a week before this season’s opener against Atlantic City, he felt a pain in his
back when he got out of bed. It kept getting worse until the pain was excruciating. Then, after a few days,
the pain eased a little but his legs went numb. He not only couldn’t play basketball, he sometimes couldn’t
even walk.
As it turned out, a piece of disc from his spine had broken free and was pinching a nerve. It wasn’t the
result of a single accident or injury, probably just from wear and tear. The chip was removed surgically on
Jan. 15 and Nixon is now pretty much pain free.
“Whenever I think about it,” Nixon says, “it gets me upset. I’ve played basketball all my life. Now I can only
sit and watch.”
On Tuesday, Nixon was scheduled to visit a doctor for an examination and a beginning to his therapy.
Though unlikely, there is a remote possibility that he could get back for a game or two.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Nixon said, “but I’ve prepared myself for not being able to play.”
“I can’t think of another kid my heart goes out to more than him,” said Bruno. “He is a great competitor and
he is very comfortable with our team. It must be hard for him to come to the games and sit on the bench. I
remember when J.D. Asselta broke his wrist. But he was a junior and he knew he still might return that
season. This kid is a senior. This is it for him. Sometimes I don’t know what to say to him. He has handled
the situation so well but words can’t express how I feel for him.”
Two injuries have virtually snuffed out a promising high school career. But Jack Nixon is still there at most
OCHS games, sitting on the bench and offering encouragement to his teammates.
“I try to give the team as much support as I can. I really want to see these guys do well. Its just tough not
being part of it.”
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