Some AFA hoops players celebrate Thanksgiving in home away from home

Air Force senior forward Mike McLain won’t be able to go home for Thanksgiving.

The Portland, Ore., native and the rest of the Air Force men’s basketball team has a morning practice on Thursday and a game against Charleston Southern at Clune Arena on Saturday night.

But McLain and some of his teammates will be heading to what he calls his “second home.” Maureen and Tom Cullen serve as sponsors for Air Force athletes, including McLain.

“I think of them as my second family,” McLain said this week. “It’s obviously not home, but it’s comfortable, and it feels like a second home.”

Some Air Force players have family coming to town and will spend the day with them. Others – like Denver native Avery Merriex – will be able to get home for the day.

The Cullen family – “big supporters of the program,” according to coach Jeff Reynolds – hosted most of the team last year, and wives of the members of the Falcons’ coaching staff each helped prepare food.

That type of Thanksgiving celebration has become the norm for basketball coaches and players. “We’ve always done it every year I’ve been here if we’ve been in town,” Reynolds said.

Two years ago Air Force was in Spokane, Wash., for a tournament during Thanksgiving, and a local family had the team over for dinner. “This year it will be good to be here and give guys a chance to get together,” Reynolds said.