Sitting on a folding chair inside the ELCO basketball gym, Raider point guard Dallas George takes a moment to ice his ankle.
George, a three-sport star in soccer, baseball, and basketball, is always on the move.
As opposing teams have found out, slowing down this Raider in any sport is tough, but he’s had extra motivation when playing county foe Northern Lebanon – and his dad.
Dallas’s father Chris George is head coach of the Vikings, and the pair have played twice a year for the past three years.
“It’s always fun,” said Dallas. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win most of these games, so it’s still something I can rub in his face at the end of the year.”
Sitting across from his son, father Chris takes in the moment and absorbs some father-son joking. What player wouldn’t like to stir the pot with the opposing coach, let alone his dad? ELCO holds a 4-2 lead in the annual intrafamily George Rivalry.
Chris tries to downplay the upcoming game on Jan. 2, but he knows this game is special.
“We’ve done it a few times, so this is year four. So, the first couple times were pretty strange,” said Chris. “Obviously, it changes right? So, initially freshman year he played maybe half the game or something it was kind of fun. But as you go to each year, like he has a bigger role in the team and now all of a sudden when you’re in practice, you’re now having to actually talk about him in front of your kids. And that’s a little odd.”
This year’s game at Northern Lebanon is extra special due to the format that is expected to bring in a larger crowd.
“Well, the cool thing this year is we’re starting the double header thing back up again, which we didn’t do since COVID sort of ended that. We did it a couple times. So we’re doing boys and girls,” said Chris. “Girls are going to play first, so that should be, it’s always like a neat rivalry. We’re right next to each other. The kids know each other.
“So these section games where the kids kind of have a history are always a little different, but then you add in like the, the gym’s probably going to get packed, especially at our place, so yeah, it’s not, it’s not really another game on the schedule.”
Another interesting twist is that ELCO boys’ basketball coach Brad Conners, who coaches Dallas, is a childhood friend of Chris’s.
“I think we played kill the carrier in my yard when we were 6, 7 years old. So, he’s a Cowboys fan. And I’m an Eagles fan, so there’s that,” said Conners.
Chris and Conners are longtime friends who played youth sports together, as well as high school basketball. Spend a few minutes with these two coaches and you can see the respect and appreciation each has for the other.
“We were on the same Little League team, the Astros, we won that. My dad was the coach. He was shortstop, big claim to fame. The big 12-year-old ELCO baseball title,” said Chris. “You make friends with a lot of guys in the league, but obviously having a history with Brad is cool.”
Both played on ELCO’s 1992 Section Title team, establishing a friendship and bond that has lasted decades. Chris has coached Dallas on other teams, but he’s grateful how Conners has helped develop Dallas basketball skills.
“In many ways coaching your son can be a challenge. So as odd as this is, it’s nice to have another coach do that. Brad’s developed many great guards at ELCO. So, we’re actually lucky it’s worked out this way,” said Chris.
It’s only fitting that Conners son Jackson and Dallas have also been lifelong friends. The families and kids have grown up together.
“And obviously with our kids, with Jack, you know, they’ve done when they were little, you little pool parties over there at the house and all that kind of stuff. So, it’s just neat to see guys went to school with and that were friends with,” said Chris.
Jackson, who himself competes for the Raider football and track teams, enjoys the battles from the stands when ELCO and Northern Lebanon clash. He admits the crowd at both schools can get extra hyped for the games, but his ELCO allegiance is always with the Raiders and Dallas.
“It does get crazy at the games, but it’s always cool seeing my friend’s dad and seeing my friend shoot the lights out during games,” said Jackson.
As a player, Dallas knows this experience facing his dad’s team is special.
‘”It’s a unique experience. It’s fun to compete against him, obviously to win against him. It’s more fun than winning a regular game. But obviously when we lose it’s more like, I don’t want to talk to you, just leave me alone for a little bit. But it’s definitely a fun experience and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything,” said Dallas.
Make no mistake – all parties involve want to win this game. Coach Conners knows his longtime friend would love a victory, but friendships are put on hold when the Vikings and Raiders play.
“It’s nice beating them. It’s not so nice losing to them. It’s a rivalry. It’s, for me, it’s that rival. It’s just the border war. It’s Northern Lebanon, their fans, you know, it’s loud. It seems like Dallas does save his best games for over there, which is great. I know, we can count on him. Dallas is going to have a big game,” said Conners.
Dallas has had some of his best games at Northern Lebanon on his dad’s home court and he’s not giving any secrets to his rival’s top coach, whether they live in the same house or not.
“It’s weird, like he’s still a little guarded about things when I’ll just ask him about like something they’re running, said Chris, “I go to the games, and I can sense from him he doesn’t really want to say too much. Like, dude, I go to the games, I can see what you’re running. You’re not keeping anything, you know, hush hush. But I think it’s just a natural, I’m the enemy. I’m not part of that team. So, I think he’s just a competitor he just wants to win.”
Earlier this season, Dallas became ELCO’s all-time steals leader and keeps inching up the record books.
The big question is: Who does mom root for?
“Me, definitely me,” said Dallas. Chris agreed with a smile that only adds to the uniqueness of these games. Dallas says the most awkward moment comes before tip-off, during starting line-ups.
“Sometimes there’ll be photos when we go over and just have to fist bump him to say good luck to the other coach,” said Dallas. It’s just weird, awkward smile for me and him. So, it’s just a little funny moment there.”
As the seventh installment of this match up inches closer, both father and son were asked: What it might be like once the final horn sounds on the last rivalry game on Jan. 26?
“I try to do my best to treat it like any other game,” said Chris. “It tends to just have a little bit of awkwardness to it for us. So, in some ways, maybe a little bit of relief that you don’t have to do it again. You’re just like, all right, let’s get to the game.”
“It’ll definitely be something to keep in the back of my mind forever,” said Dallas, “but it’ll definitely be a positive memory for me coming out on top, most of the time. So, it’ll be something to keep.”
ELCO travels to play Northern Lebanon on Jan. 2. This will be a double header as the ELCO girls will play the Northern Lebanon girls at 6:30 p.m. and then the ELCO Boys tip-off against the Northern Lebanon boys at 8 p.m.
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