Sen. Mark Warner, B.A. ’77, Has Game

The senator from Virginia shoots hoops at GW, an annual tradition.

November 8, 2009

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GW alumnus Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) played tough defense and scored a few baskets at a set of annual pickup basketball games on GW’s campus Nov. 25.  Sen. Warner was joined by approximately 30 friends, including Gov. Chet Culver (D-Iowa) and former WNBA player Simone Edwards, now an assistant coach for George Mason University’s women’s basketball team.

The pickup games began during Sen. Warner’s days as a student at GW. Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Sen. Warner says he would spend a half day on the court with friends. More than 30 years later, the tradition continues. The group also collects money for a local cause, this year donating to local organizations S.O.M.E. and Share Our Strength.

When asked if he has a favorite shot, Sen. Warner says “any one that goes in,” and confessed his game is the same now as it was as a GW student: “slow with no jump.” “It’s also really hard the older I get to play and talk trash at the same time,” he says. “I should be conserving my energy!”

Assistant Athletic Director Andre Julien says he has witnessed the growth in popularity of Sen. Warner’s pickup games over the years. “It’s always nice to host someone of that stature and influence in the community,” says Mr. Julien. “And he’s a GW graduate, so all the better!”