Roger Whitehead
ASHEBORO — Basketball fans attending middle school games the past couple of seasons have probably noticed a hustling lad on the Southwestern Randolph Middle School team. He’s No. 20 and he dives for loose balls, crashes the boards for rebounds and gives a 110 percent effort every second on the court.
Seeing this young man in action, you would naturally think he was one of the healthier kids on the court. But behind the scenes, it’s a much different story.
That No. 20 racing up and down the court is Corbin Wilburn, a 14-year-old eighth-grade student at Southwestern Randolph Middle School. A friendly, always smiling student-athlete, Corbin has had to face many health issues and obstacles in his young life, but he tackles every one of them with a determined spirit.
Corbin was born with an immune deficiency and has spent a large portion of his life in and out of hospitals.
He’s gone through several surgeries and still must go to the hospital every four weeks to have IV antibody treatments to help fight off infection.
Robert and Denise Wilburn of Asheboro are proud of their son, the attitude he displays everyday and the spirit and determination he has shown throughout his life.
“We are proud of Corbin,” his mom Denise said. “He has been through more in his life than most of us adults will ever go through. He inspires us. One thing for sure – he never gives up.”
The first two years of life life, Corbin went to Brenners Children Hospital. Then he was sent to the UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. Corbin also has asthma and has to keep an inhaler nearby at all times, even during practices and games.
Despite all of this, Corbin displays inspiration, a strong dedication and a big heart that he shows to everyone he comes in contact with.
Brett Hoogkamp, Corbin’s head basketball coach and a star athlete in his prep playing days at Southwestern Randolph High School, said the youth is not only a gifted athlete but he’s also a standout student, earning straight As. He’s also a member of the SWRMS Beta Club and was named the male Scholar Athlete of the Year last year.
“Corbin inspires us, the way he goes all out at practice, in games and attitude in which he approaches life,” Hoogkamp said.
Wes Luther, the Cougars’ assistant coach, agreed. “Corbin is a leader for all of us. He sets the examples,” Luther said. “I have known him since he entered sixth grade. He’s been an inspiration.”
The modest young man takes it all in stride. When asked what motivation he uses to tackle his health problems and accomplish the goals he has achieved, he simple says: “I just face each day trying to do the best I can, give it my best effort.”
Corbin not only plays basketball but will soon be on the Cougars’ baseball squad. He also races in Soap Box Derby where he was the local champion for the Winston-Salem Soap Box Derby. That performance earned him a chance to go to Akron, Ohio, to compete in the national Soap Box Derby. He has also competed in the Randleman Days race where he captured another first place showing.
“I just like to compete, give it my best effort,” he said. “It’s fun.”
Corbin isn’t required to take part in the daily workouts with school sports taking care of a large part of that but he does “work out a little at home, but not with special equipment.”
“Sometimes I will run a little and in the summer I like to swim a lot,” he added.
He also like video games and says he’s “pretty good at X-Box.”
Hoogkamp and Luther said Corbin is “willing to give a helping hand to others.”
One such incident occurred recently when he was in the gym waiting for practice to begin. But instead of running around, he was on the bleachers helping another student with homework. In a recent game, Corbin and an opponent crashed to the floor while battling for a rebound. The bigger player landed on the smaller boy but as they untangled, Corbin helped his opponent up.
“He’s an amazing young man,” Luther said.
Corbin has also been a Make-A-Wish recipient and his wish was to go to Disney World and swim with the dolphins. “That was an awesome experience for our family,” his mother said. “Corbin really enjoyed it.”
The road is becoming rougher for the kid with the big heart: Doctors recently diagnosed him with scoliosis of the spine and are currently having a brace made for him to wear at night, hopefully preventing his back problems from getting worse.
His parents, the Cougar coaching staff and other school officials are quick to point out that Corbin gives a 100 percent effort to everything he does from the classroom to sports or just while helping friends.
“Corbin has really made us stronger and very proud of him,” his mother said. “Most people don’t know all that Corbin has been through when they see him and his school accomplishments and watching him hustling all out on the basketball court or the baseball field.”
But the friendly young man with the warm smile has refused to get the bumps in the road get him down. “I am just like the other kids – I want to have fun, enjoy sports and try my best in everything.”
