Vander Lee Blue Jr. - A leader on and off the court

By Rose Johnson-Brown

(Memorial High School game pictures provided by family)

He moves swiftly up and down the court, jumping and dunking, intertwined in the web of talents displayed by the Memorial High School Spartans' Basketball team. When off the court, he’s a shy, well-mannered, deep thinking, 6'4", 16-year-old named Vander Lee Blue Jr.  He is a junior and the second highest scorer on the team averaging 17 points per game this past season. He helped lead his team to win the WIAA State Tournament this spring.
ESPN/Scouts, Inc. lists the following as Vander’s strengths on the court: "terrific ball handler, excellent court vision, penetrates the lane at will, smooth midrange jumper with good elevation, sprints in from the perimeter for time tip-ins, open three with time and space, strength is creating off the dribble."
When I asked Vander how he came to play basketball, he shared that Tyrone McClarn, an older neighborhood friend around Baird Street in Madison, first impressed him with the sport of basketball when he saw McClarn dribble the ball between his legs. Blue knew he wanted to dribble with as much style and ease as McClarn. From then on, according to his mother, Rita Blue, a Girl Scouts' member specialist, he would dribble all day long, inside and outside the house. "The sound of the bouncing ball would drive us nuts, you never saw him without a ball in his hand dribbling," she said.
Vander started playing organized basketball in the third grade. He would try to play in any of the organized basketball games he could find in the park whenever he could.
Then, in fourth grade, Shelton Kingcade, MSCR learning coordinator, found him playing in the park near Williamsburg Way, and he put him on a fifth-grade Dane County Neighborhood Intervention Program (N.I.P.) Spartan team. He played "up" with fifth-graders Jeronne Maymon and Xavier Jones (both are now Vander’s Memorial Spartan teammates).
Blue played with the N.I.P Spartans through 10th grade. He now plays on a traveling team in Illinois.
"Basketball always makes me feel happy about myself,” Vander said. “When you are on the court just playing at the competitive level, [it's] the crowds, [it's the] atmosphere, [the court is] like a second home where I can go somewhere and get away from anything. Anytime I have any problems, I can take it out on the court, on my opponents, and it just makes me feel much better. It makes me forget about all the negative things, like something I might have heard that wasn't true.
“It's just fun, I don't know, just coming down the court crossing each other and the crowd going crazy cheering for you, kids coming up to you knowing who you are, and asking for autographs. It so fun; it's the world to me,” he added. “If I didn't have basketball, I don't know what I would be doing, but I'm glad I found it as early as I did."
When I asked who inspires Vander along his journey in basketball and in life, he said, "Of course, Shelton and Tyrone have, but it's not just the coaches that inspire me, [it was] my uncle Marcus Hamilton who passed this last summer, my great-grandmother Edith "Baby" Gardner. I know they are watching over me, so for me not to go as far as I can and not take this [basketball] as far as I can, I would feel I'm letting them down because they meant so much to me the time they were here. The only way I can pay them back is being successful and putting myself in a position where I can help my family and take care of everybody, and make everybody happy because I know that is what they would have wanted.
“[I need to] just stay out of trouble and be smart about what I am doing right now,” he continues. “My uncle got killed and I didn't want to do it anymore, but then I started to think that if he was right here he'd tell me, ‘What are you thinking about? Don't stop. Keep doing what you’re doing.’  That gives me that boost each day when I get up.
“I want to get better in school and in anything I do because that was what "Baby" did,” Vander addes. “She wanted to be the best in everything she did; she wanted to perfect in everything she did. And I just want to take that upon my shoulders now. I want to be the best in what I do and have fun but put myself in a position to help my family.” 
When asked if a future in basketball weren’t possible, what goals would he have, Vander said, “I would want to start my own business probably in automobile sales. I'm familiar with cars and the styles change every year, so there's a continuing market."
Vander is also a history buff.
"History is my favorite subject, especially around civil rights, learning about what happened before and using the information to change the future,” he said. “There are things that happened that I might not have been aware of if I ignored history. Every day, history happens and the course of the world changes.”
 On the subject of high school, Vander stated, “Of course, school has good days and bad days; it's not the ‘most fun,’ but not the worst. School would be better if it didn't start so early and [didn't] have such long lectures. It needs to be more interactive where everybody can participate; [more] variety in the way teachers teach. [It needs to be] diverse and creative so kids would want to learn. This is why I like my history teacher, Guy Fields — he makes learning interesting and meaningful," said Vander.
Family is very important to Vander. He lives with his mother, Rita Blue, who has raised him along with his brother, Nate Whitehead of Madison, and his sister, Valerie Whitehead of Milwaukee. Both of his siblings are now grown.
"My mom means the world to me,” he said. “She's been a single parent for ... it's been so long, I can't remember living with my father. But, I always love my mother and have so much respect for her because of what she's willing to do by herself to raise a young man ... her being a woman. Sometimes we don't see eye-to-eye, but I know she is doing her best. At the end of the day, I still love her. I would not know what I would do without her.
“And, yes, I have my father. We are close, I mean I know him, but it's not like he's been in the household like my mom,” Vander continues. “That's why I give her all the praise in the world for what she's done," stated Vander.
Vander also speaks highly of the other male role models in his life. His grandfather Arthur "Papa" Wilson of Milwaukee has been a grounded mentor for Vander. Anytime Vander needed shoes, he bought them and sent them to him. If he needed to talk to him about something in basketball or anything in life, he has been there to help him think things through. His uncle Johnny Womack, a former basketball player, brother Nate and sister Valerie, who is like a brother to Vander and can talk about anything with him, are all supportive people in his life.
 "Everybody in my family means something to me, and I hope if God gives me the will, I can help my mom. I just want to put my mom in a position where see doesn't have to work anymore. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her," said Vander.
With all that's happening for Vander, I asked his mother what is her vision of the future for him.
"I am feeling very blessed as a single parent raising an African-American boy by myself and to see the outcome of how respectful he is,” Rita Blue said. “I continue to tell him to stay humble in life. As long as he continues to keep God in his life and stay humble, he will continue to be successful in life and reach his goals throughout his journey because it's already written anyway ... it's already written.”

Vander Lee Blue Jr. has a great future ahead of him. He has a good sense of what he wants in his journey to adulthood. With such a supportive family, school, and community friends and mentors, he can continue to stay grounded and focused on his goals. According to his mother, he will be leaving his options open at this point as far as choosing a university. And why not? He still has another year to play for the Memorial High School Spartans.
Best wishes for Vander.