Garret Kerr making name for himself

TO GARRET KERR, his father, Tim, isn't the Flyers legend. He's just Dad. And his No. 1 fan.

And neither of them would have it any other way.

"I was born in 1992, just after he retired, so I don't have any recollection of his playing days," said Garret, a junior forward at University of the Sciences who was a consensus Division II All-America after averaging 24.8 points and 12.5 rebounds, both school records. "I knew he was kind of famous. And obviously my friends' parents knew. But it was never really a theme growing up.

"On the other hand, whenever we got press or anything, it was always Tim Kerr's son, never Garret Kerr. But what he did was awesome. It's pretty cool just being able to be his son and have him be my mentor. He really didn't know basketball. But I learned a lot from his mental aspect. He played at the highest level. That's the biggest thing. I had the privilege of being around that, getting his competitive nature.

"I think he got the same juice being there watching that he couldn't get from playing anymore."

Tim Kerr went from an undrafted free agent to setting the franchise record for most 50-goal seasons (four) despite a lengthy list of leg and shoulder injuries. Yet it was the way he played that fans hold onto most. At his best, the 6-3, 230-pound Kerr was pretty much an unmovable presence in the slot. There are those who would say Garret, who is listed at 6-4, 240, brings many of the same qualities to the court.

"Everything was always a teaching point with him," said Garret, who has two older sisters and two younger brothers, one of whom - Wes, his best friend - is a sophomore starting guard with the Devils. "He never talked about wins or losses. It was always about work ethic. Did we go out there and basically play as hard as we could? How did we handle ourselves? And it wasn't just sports, but dealing with the real world. He never pushed us into anything. He was always there, but he let us find our own path. And he wanted us to have fun. That part of it never got lost."

Tim Kerr, the president of Tim Kerr's Powerplay Realty in Avalon, N.J., was just happy to be a parent. His kids became his outlet. But when they are competing, he's content to stay out of the way and be another spectator.

"I've been fortunate," said Kerr, 54, who in 1989 founded Tim Kerr Charities, which sponsors fundraising races throughout the year in Avalon to support physically and mentally challenged children and their families. "It's truly an amazing thing for me. I don't miss games. I build my schedule around my kids. It's been really rewarding.

"Every child is different. With Garret, we have a relationship where we would always talk about what went well and what didn't go well. I can say anything I want to him and he'll take it the right way. I know sometimes coaches and fathers have to tread water when it comes to that.

"I was one of those guys that never got too high or too low, no matter what happened. You have to stay grounded. Maybe that's where I come in. He could be player of the week and I'll just say, 'That's history. Now you've got a game this week.' You're going to have bad days. But you can always work hard."

Garret, who played hockey as a youngster, didn't have any other scholarship options coming out of South Jersey's Middle Township High. A starter since arriving in West Philly, this season he led the 17-11 Devils in field-goal percentage (.524) and free-throw shooting (.820), and was second in assists (3.04 average) and steals (1.29). His 693 points broke an 18-year-old program record, and his 351 boards broke another that had stood for 48 years. The only player at this level to rank in the top five nationally in scoring and rebounding, he needs 70 more boards and 558 points to become the all-time leader in both categories at the place that was once known as Pharmacy College.

"I don't know if [not getting recruited more] was a tweener thing [size-wise]," said Garret, a dean's list student in the doctor of physical therapy program. "I didn't take it personally. I knew somehow I'd figure it out. Maybe prep school. But coach [Dave] Pauley took a chance on me. He was the only one, really. It turned into a great situation. So I was pretty fortunate it worked out that way.

"If you had told me 3 years ago where I'd be now, I think I'd have probably told you you were crazy. It's been unbelievable. The individual stuff is awesome, but honestly I'm playing with some of the most unselfish teammates. They don't really worry about themselves. I'm kind of the centerpiece. Coach has trust in me, and has kind of handed me the reins a little bit. And the other guys have bought into that. They've put me in a position where I can be successful. You can't ever overlook that. I'm just trying to play my best, every day."

And he knows that whether he scores 10 or 30, Dad will be keeping tabs.

"He comes in [the gym] with jeans, long sleeves and a hat on, doesn't say anything," the younger Kerr said. "He's friendly with everyone, but for the most part he just wants to sit and watch. Some people are always going to be fascinated by the fact that he's a Flyers legend. They don't really bombard him with talking about that or anything. We went to Kutztown and they recognized him and talked to him. And he'll talk to anybody. But he doesn't mind keeping to himself. He doesn't want it to be about him . . .

"One time we had a conversation and he told me, 'Sometimes I'll be driving home and I have to pinch myself, that I get to see my sons play every single game.' Can you imagine that? He thinks he has to pinch himself. But he thought it was pretty cool."

A generation ago, Kerr gave this city a bunch of memories. Now he's a proud dad, relishing a whole different set of priorities in his life. So which do you think he will carry with him more? Nobody has to tell him he's got it good.

"I don't look back," he said. "That's for other people to do. I just want my kids to do well for themselves. Respect the game, be a great teammate. You're going to struggle, you're going to get beat up. That's OK. It's how you approach the game, the effort you give. It's the same as everything you're going to do in life.

"Obviously, I'm proud. It's very satisfying. I had no idea what I was going to do when they all went to college. I've never been a social guy. I like to do my own thing. So I'll go to the end of the gym where nobody is. My wife goes where it's crowded . . . What bothered me a little bit was when Garret was having success and there was never an article that didn't have my name in it. I understood. It's Philly, it's where my roots are. It's my home. But the great thing was, it never bothered him."