The ball on net was heard around the gym at Emerson Junior/Senior High School in Emerson, New Jersey, in 2003. Craig Parkins had scored 1,000 points, one of the most formidable feats in high school basketball. A wave of relief fell over him as he heard the fans, family members, teammates, and coaches erupt in celebration.
Currently a math teacher and varsity baseball coach here at Scituate High School, Parkins is well-versed in athletic competition. His will to win is rooted in his high school days and has shaped his teaching and coaching style. He has played basketball for as long as he can remember and reminisced about shooting around the gym or even in his driveway with his father, who Parkins credits with teaching him the ins and outs of the game.
We sat down with Parkins to discuss his 1,000-point high school milestone. Before his senior season began, he knew if he played well, he could surely reach this noteworthy goal. Parkins vividly remembers a home game where he needed 25 more points to hit the target. He had an opportunity to score two free-throw shots toward the very end of the game and missed them both, leaving him at 999 points as the final buzzer sounded.
Going into the next game, he knew he only needed one point to reach 1,000. His teammates, as well as their opponents, were aware of this situation. Leaving no margin for error, the opposing team left him scoreless through his first eight shots. He eventually made a basket, tallying his points at 1,001 and joining the elite 1,000 point club.
Reflecting on his time at Emerson High School, Parkins remarked that his team left a substantially positive mark on the basketball program. He described his 1,000 point accomplishment as a victory individually and as a team: “It was kind of like a roller coaster…it’s one of those individual milestones, but you don’t want that to take away from trying to win the game,” showing that he was, and still is, all about the team.