There was a special feeling lingering in the air.

And it wasn't the fact that the top girls' basketball squads in the state congregated for a weekend-long demonstration of their talent.

It was a celebration.  Not for basketball.  But for two men, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Perry Reese Jr.

Thousands of people walked through the gates of the Reese Center last weekend, not just to watch a ballgame, but to remember.

Remembering is what the weekend was supposed to be about.  Remembering the sacrifices King made in order to bring about racial harmony in America.  Remembering the racial barriers Reese broke becoming the first black coach in Amish country.

Perched high above the crowd in the press box, I watched everyone.  I watched as blacks, whites, men, women, and people of various religious backgrounds conversed, laughed, celebrated, and competed-together.

"It's an opportunity for people to come together and have a good time," said Columbus Brookhaven coach Reggie Lee, "I think when you can create an atmosphere and then project the image and thoughts of what Dr King meant - it helps keep things in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King.

"With all the violence we have, somebody needs to uphold the notion of non-violence," he added.

I also listened.  The strange thing is, I heard not one negative comment from the mouths of the spectators.  This weekend wasn't about who wins or loses, it was about giving and sharing.

There were over 150 volunteers that unselfishly gave their time over the weekend and shared their talents, in order to make sure that every aspect of the event was flawless.  They didn't volunteer to "catch a good game," but they did it out of respect for the two fore-mentioned men.

Both King, the civil rights activist who captured the nations attention with his infamous "I have a dream" speech, and Reese, who is unquestionably the greatest person to coach the red and black, would have been proud of the event.  Both men worked tirelessly and dedicated themselves to what they were passionate about, and in turn, made life better for those around them.

Reese, who died of a malignant brain tumor on November 24, 2000, at the age of 48, used basketball as his vehicle to drive home his message of unconditional and sometimes tough love.

"All in all, he taught them (players) that in the end, this game of basketball is not that big of a thing," said Hiland Athletic Director Colin Mishler, who became AD after Reese's first year as head coach (1985).  "What's important is family, God and church.  He was very big on that.  That's what the kids remember the most, his philosophy on life.

"You would never know that when you saw him on the court, when he was practicing or playing," he added.   "We've had many discussions about life, where we were going, how we differ religiously and so forth.  He was a great person.  A great teacher."

Reese's 16-year tenure at Hiland was stellar.  He has a 304-85 career record, his teams won 11 Inter-Valley Conference titles, 11 sectional titles, appeared in seven regional tournament games and five state final fours.  In 1992, he led his Hawks to a 26-2 record and a Division IV State championship.

His players respected him as a coach, but loved him as a person.

We always knew that he cared for us as people, as much as he did as a player," said Hiland boys basketball coach Keith Troyer, who also played for Reese and is the second highest scorer in school history.  "There were a lot of lessons learned about life through basketball and he used basketball as a tool."

"He taught and coached for all the right reasons.  He was very unselfish.  It was all about the kids and what he could do for them," said girls basketball coach Dave Schlabach, who also played for Reese.  "He would always make the right decision when it came to the kids.  I think, as a coach, I have learned a great deal from watching how he developed relationships with his players.

"Wins and losses come and go," he added.  "What he taught kids was that hardowrk, getting along with others, setting high goals, communicating and many other things that he really instilled in kids that made a big difference."

The memory of King, as well as Reese, was entrenched in the event.  Before each game, the audience rose to their feet as audio was played of King reciting one of his speeches.

I left the Reese Center that evening more aware of the contributions of King and Reese then ever.  I became more aware of the quality of the two men that helped shape this community and this nation.

It is through that awareness that one can truly appreciate this event, and the legacy these men leave behind.