Claremore Daily Progress

Sports

June 29, 2012

Cousin of Miranda Serna honoring her memory in New Mexico

NICK SNOW Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER — The tiny town of Mora, N.M., was rocked when it learned one of it’s own — Oklahoma State assistant coach Miranda Serna — died in a November plane crash.



Eight months later, Serna’s cousin Aaron Chavez hopes to start the healing process with a camp July 16-18 in Serna’s honor.



“It’s something we wanted to do to keep Miranda’s memory alive,” said Chavez, an associate head coach for the men’s basketball team at Bakersfield College. “It’s something that is not only important for my family, but it’s important for our community. Not only are we as a family still dealing with it, but so is everybody else in our community because Miranda was such an inspiration. ...This is just only part of the lasting legacy for Miranda.”



With 65 open spots, Chavez said the camp filled up quickly. Proceeds from the camp will go to a scholarship fund named after Serna for graduating students from Mora High School.



“It really wasn’t a surprise,” Chavez said. “Anytime there’s a tragedy like that, the community finds a way to rally around and support those who were affected. We just wanted to do something to carry on Miranda’s legacy and obviously a basketball camp and the scholarship were the first thing that came to mind.”



Known as a tireless worker on and off the court, the camp will help instill those same fundamentals in younger kids that Serna taught in six-plus seasons at Oklahoma State.



“We are going to teach drills that were special to Miranda,” Chavez said. “We have some of Miranda’s former high school teammates that are going to be assisting and working the camp. That group of women is going to do a couple of drills that they remember doing with Miranda, as well as some drills that I got from coach (Jim) Littell. That way we can teach the kids and let them know what it is she got to do with her girls at Oklahoma State.”



It isn’t just the drills Chavez hopes to teach during the camp. It’s also Serna’s work ethic and the ability to dream.



“Miranda was just naturally a hard worker, but a lot of that comes from the way we were brought up in New Mexico — especially in Mora,” Chavez said.



“You’re taught to work. When you see someone outside working, you go out and help. A lot of that is a credit to Miranda’s mother who ingrained into her that hard work isn’t hard when it becomes a habit, and that’s what we’re going to try to teach these kids in the camp.



“In our world, not a lot of people get to go out and experience the world,” Chavez said. “Miranda was able to do that and have a lot of success. I’m a college coach because I listened to her and believed in what she told me. It just lets these kids know that they can get out and can do well in the world.”



As Chavez prepares to host the first camp in honor of his cousin, he said he’s already feeling the emotions swell up inside him.



“It’s going to be very emotional, especially the first day and the last day,” Chavez said. “That’s the thing about people from northern New Mexico, we’re all close. Sometimes you can go to a party and even be related to everybody there. So we’re all going to do a lot of leaning on each other. But the most important thing to remember is that everybody’s going to be there to honor Miranda and have fun. That’s what Miranda would have wanted.”



Whether it’s through the scholarship fund or the basketball camp, Chavez wants to make sure that nobody forgets Serna anytime soon. In addition to continuing the camp, he also plans to adopt a park in Guadalupita, N.M., and name it after Serna.



Chavez said that each day has been a struggle as he and the family continues to mourn the loss of a person Chavez called one of the most unselfish people he’s ever met.



But when that first whistle blows, Chavez knows that he won’t be alone on that court.



“I can guarantee she will be in the gym in spirit,” Chavez said. “Whenever there was a basketball game, she was around it. She loved the game. So it is pretty comforting to know that she’s going to be right there with us coaching those kids.”

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