Sports are family affair for Decatur's Lee brothers

Photo by Mike Eckels Matt Lee (#50) loves to be in the thick of things as he and fellow Bulldogs effectively shut down a run during the Decatur/Mountainburg game of Sept. 20. Lee also participates on the senior basketball team. Although he makes an outstanding player in any sport, his first love is football.
Photo by Mike Eckels Matt Lee (#50) loves to be in the thick of things as he and fellow Bulldogs effectively shut down a run during the Decatur/Mountainburg game of Sept. 20. Lee also participates on the senior basketball team. Although he makes an outstanding player in any sport, his first love is football.

DECATUR -- "He will make a great coach! He has the right disposition," Shane Holland, Decatur football coach, commented about one of his players in the 2013 season.

The player to whom Holland referred was Matt Lee, a senior offensive/defensive lineman and a forward on Decatur senior football and basketball teams. Matt will also play on Decatur High's soccer team this coming March.

Matt's passion is football. It was not uncommon to see him in the middle of a tackle or running down a quarterback or clearing a hole for his team to break through. His abilities in the football arena, coupled with his sense of humor, make him a natural born leader. This leadership quality will make him, as Holland said, "a great coach" in the future.

"I plan on going to college and possibly becoming a coach." Matt stated, "I like to play sports. I will probably work on a lower level, then high school, probably starting out coaching pee wee football and move my way up."

Matt, however, is quick to give credit to his teammates. He sees each of them as his "motivation" to continuously better himself both on and off the gridiron.

Matt's athletic abilities are not limited to the football field. He plays a vital role on the basketball court as well. He can shut down the lane, rebound off the boards and press for a lay up. He is one of several contributing factors to the success of Bulldog basketball this season. Although Matt is not a starter, he still preforms any task when called upon by his coaches.

But Matt is not the only Lee family member on the basketball court this season. His younger brothers, Pheng, a junior, and Leng, a freshman, are both major contributors to the Decatur program.

Unlike his bothers, Pheng only plays basketball. He possesses a love of the sport not unlike that of teammate Mario Urquidi. The passion he has for the sport is the biggest motivation to play his best for his team. Because of this dedication, Pheng earned a starting position as a point guard on the senior Bulldog team. His hard driving energy up and down the court, along with his rebounding ability, makes him a perfect starter.

While Pheng would like to play college basketball, he has a much higher goal in mind.

"After high school I plan on getting my master's." Pheng said.

What that degree will be is still unknown. He has plenty of time to decide since he has another year left of high school.

As for freshman Leng, his abilities in both basketball and football are phenomenal. His speed and agility, coupled with his ability to make quick decisions, also made him a natural-born leader for the junior high team this year.

On one particular play during the junior high football season, Leng started to run the ball down the center of the field. He soon ran into a wall of defenders. He jumped back enough to free himself and run around that wall. He encountered three more such walls before finding open ground and running in for a Decatur touchdown.

When Leng takes to the courts, his speed and agility often send defenders scrambling to keep up. He takes the point and at any moment is driving to the basket for a score. Leng, along with Pheng, coupled with other returning Urquidi bothers, could be a force that will drive Decatur to a state championship this year and next season as well.

Another and more important motivation for the Lee brothers comes not from the field or court but from the bleachers. At every home game whether it is football or basketball or soccer, the patriarch of the Lee family, Xiong, along with wife Chia, are always seated front row, center. This continued support from their parents and others in the Lee family drives Matt, Pheng and Leng to do their best.

More than anything else, Matt, Pheng and Leng play off of each other's strengths.

"In basketball, I'm competitive against my brothers," Matt said. "We just try to out-best each other."

This is the Lees' legacy.

Sports on 02/12/2014