Submitted Photo

Local Wade Moody plays pointguard for the UNC Tarheels.

slideshow

CHAPEL HILL — Former Mount Airy Bear Wade Moody recently made the University of North Carolina varsity team as a walk-on in what he described as a once in a lifetime experience.

“It was unexpected and surreal,” he said. “Two years ago or even last month, it seemed such an unattainable thing.”

Moody will be playing in California at the end of the week and then will compete in Hawaii at the Maui Invitational over the holidays.

“My life has taken a real 180-degree turn. Just a little more than two weeks ago, I was just a regular student with no real time commitments and now I am practicing every day with the team,” Moody said.

Moody plays point guard for the Tarheels. He began playing basketball when he was 9-years old and also played point guard in high school. He transferred from Presbyterian College and North Carolina State to UNC with a desire to once more play basketball but had to wait the necessary rule time for transfers to play.

“I wanted the brotherhood of teammates again and to work together toward a common goal.”

When the time came, opportunity knocked for Moody at Chapel Hill when “he tried out to see what would happen,” he said.

Coaches called Moody back after going through 70 or so tryouts. After this grueling round, three more tryouts then took place.

Moody and the other three players on his tryout squad made the team.

Moody said that he is looking forward to enjoying this “once in a lifetime” experience of playing basketball for the Tarheels. So far, his role has been as an encourager, and he is happy to do his part, he said.

He is a management in society major and hopes to become involved in ministry.

Reach Tanya Chilton at tchilton@heartlandpublications.com or at 719-1921.