Corby Schuh 28-years-old, has been playing basketball since the third grade.
After growing up in Spokane, Schuh attended and played basketball at Everett Community College, where he was selected to the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges first-team in 1997-98.
While at ECC he averaged 24 points and eight rebounds per game before transferring to Central Washington University to continue playing on a scholarship.
Schuh picked up where he left off in western Washington and made the second-team all-Pac West his senior year as a Wildcat with 85 three-pointers and a two-year total of 151.
With his diploma in hand he began his teaching career in Arizona before returning to the Pacific Northwest, where he has taught in both eastern and western Washington.
The 2006-07 school year is his sixth year as an educator, and the second year as the Marysville Middle School athletic director and math teacher.
Prior to MMS, Schuh was the head boys basketball coach for two years at Almira/Coulee-Hartline High School east of the Cascades.
The Warriors were a B-league school during his 2003-05 tenure, but have since been realigned to the Bi-County 1B/2B.
Despite the fact that his competitive basketball days had, in essence, ended in stride with his CWU graduation, he said the competitive fire continued to burn inside.
That is the crazy thing about the college game you play four years of college ball, are constantly in the weight room, but then once you graduate you are pretty much done with the sport, he said.
While teaching at MMS he continued to follow any news about the Everett Explosion, Snohomish Countys newest professional sports franchise.
I saw an open tryout in the newspaper about Everett brining the Explosion team and I just kept my eye out. It has been six years since I last played competitive basketball, Schuh said.
The former first- and second- team collegiate player went to the Jim Linden Fieldhouse at M-PHS in early November and found himself one of 40 aspiring members of the Explosion.
They talked to two guys after the practice, he said of the competitive environment.
They just pulled me into a room and told me they would like to offer me a contract.
Schuh, a newlywed after tying the knot with his wife, Jennifer, July 1, said he took the contract home and discussed it with his life partner before committing.
She knows I love basketball and I love to compete. Overall, she is excited for me. She has two sisters who each have two kids and they said they are looking forward to watching me play.
He said Nathan Mumm, head coach and vice-president of marketing for the Explosion, and his staff have been great to work with and have made him feel welcome.
The entire organization has been awesome, Schuh said.
Very welcoming, kind and they treat me with respect. There are a lot of guys that turned out and they did a good job of making us feel welcome.
Asked how he broke the good news to his middle school students, Schuh merely laughed and said his fellow faculty did it for him
Actually, I really didnt say anything to them (the class). After one of the open tryouts the janitor congratulated me and began spreading the word. The staff told the kids and it began spreading pretty quickly.
He added that his pupils were excited and had a sneak peak at his skills in a staff vs. student game last year.
While he may already have a healthy fan base from his classroom, school, family and friends, Schuh said he is blessed with the mere opportunity to realize a dream.
It is a good opportunity to just play basketball. It will be more fun to play than in a recreation league. It is just fun to be involved in a team again.
If all else fails he can take his brides advice and just do it for a year and see if you like it and go from there.
The Explosion begins its inaugural season April 7, 2007 against the Lewis County Raptors and its home opener is slated for Tuesday, April 10 at the Everett Events Center vs. the Colorado Crossover.