Some statistics don’t make it into boxscores, but are no less deserving of attention.

Like this one:
The Willow Run High School boys basketball team had eight seniors last season, and all eight graduated and enrolled in college or prep school.

That’s no small feat in the Willow Run Community School District, where less than half of students graduate high school on time (46.7 percent, according to the Center for Educational Performance and Information) and far less go on to college.

Some of the eight college-bound former Flyers are still in athletics. Keonte Tubbs is playing basketball at Indiana Tech, Maurice Jordan at Siena Heights and Richard Boyd at Southwest Academy in Lansing. Garret Davis, who played center for the Flyers last year on the basketball court and gridiron, was red-shirted in his first year on Wayne State University’s football team.
Others, like Malcom Hayden, who is on an academic scholarship at the University of Missouri, are just focusing on school. Jamar Bonner, E-Sean Hogan and Devontae Hinton all enrolled at post-secondary institutions, as well.
Flyers coach George Woods is now in his second season at Willow Run, and the off-court success that his first group of seniors had is a part of what he is trying to build in his program.
“I came last year with the mindset to create and build an atmosphere where the kids are comfortable not just playing basketball, but with the education side of it and going to school,” Woods said.
Woods, who retired after 20 years of military service and now has a day job with the Department of Defense, said one of his biggest challenges is changing the mindset that good things won’t happen at Willow Run.
“With the discipline, a lot of the kids look at me and say, ‘Coach is hard,’ or whatever. But I believe in these young men,” Woods said. “You don’t have to stay in the mindset that ‘this is the way it is.’”

Woods draws on his own life as proof. He was born in Detroit, lost both his parents at a young age, was raised by his grandmother and, he says, his high school coaches.

“Growing up, running track kept me out of trouble,” said Woods, who also had a brief professional playing career in Germany. “My coaches set standards for us, and they wouldn’t accept anything less.”

Last year’s group of seniors were a little anxious when they learned of their new coach’s military background.

“I thought he was gonna be crazy, like Coach Carter,” said Tubbs, referring to Denzel Washington’s character in the movie by the same name.
They were relieved, however, to find that Woods’ relationship to them wasn’t just built around being a drill sergeant.
“It was built around being athletic and being on the court,” said Hayden, “but also the intangibles—what basketball can teach you about life, not just shooting and passing and dribbling.”
At the start of each season, Woods has his seniors identify a list of colleges they’d like to attend, then has the players evaluate their progress to those goals throughout the season.
“Academically, he always made sure we were in class and doing our work,” said Hinton, who is currently attending Washtenaw Community College with an interest in business and music. “He always had eyes on us. He was making sure we were always doing work on the court, or with school.”
The transition to Woods’ leadership style was also made easier by the 13-9 record that the Flyers had last season.
“It was clear as day what he wanted—he wanted ‘Ws,’” Hayden said. “And with any coach, the transition is going to be easy, as long as you can win.”
The players who have moved on from Willow Run realize they have people from their community—especially younger kids—watching their example now.
“If you do the right thing people will follow,” Hayden said. “If you do the wrong thing people will follow that, too.”
Hayden said moving to Missouri was an adjustment, but he keeps in mind where he came from.
“I’m not only out there for me, I’m out there for my family and I’m out there for Willow Run too, because that’s the high school that produced me.” Hayden said. “I’m a product of Willow Run, I’m a product of coach Woods, so I got a lot to carry.
“And that’s what keeps me going.”