Converse Mayor Troy H. Terrell is a man who is very proud of his son and his two grandsons.
His son, Troy Neal Terrell, is a 1990 graduate of Converse High School and he now lives with his wife Tiffany and two sons in Stonewall. He recalled he played basketball at the same time Bert West was at Zwolle.
Troy was the top player at Converse at the time and made the All-District, the All State and the Louisiana All Star Team which played in Baton Rouge that year. He received a scholarship from Coach Mike McConathy, who was coach at Bossier Parish Community College at the time. He later transferred to East Texas Baptist University for Bert West.
For 27 years he conducted camps around the country called “Dynamite Basketball.” He explained, “They were free, and we went to some of the worst neighborhoods in America. We reached 60,000 kids. We helped over 2,000 go to college and helped 3,300 get their GED. We gave these boys hope and encouragement.”
He said his group had to raise a quarter million dollars per year to put on the free camps. “At the end of the sessions, we gave all the boys about $200 worth of items,” he related. Headquarters for the organization was Shreveport.
Today he is Regional Sales Consultant for the American Linen Service. Co. His territory in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas.
His father, the Mayor, recalled, “He would come to Converse and get the parents to bring their kids and for a week he would teach them the basics of basketball.”
Now, along comes Lelex Terrell, who goes by the nick-name “Big Rig.” He was a twin, but lost his brother. He is a guy to watch out for in the world of baseball. He is 10 years old, stands 5’3” and weighs 140 lbs.
He has been recognized already by Perfect Game, the largest recruiting organization in the world. They are very successful, having had over 10 first round draft picks out of high school this year.
Lelex was among only 40 players his age who were invited out of thousands to come to the Perfect Game All State tryout. Out of the 40, they then chose 15 to represent Louisiana in the National Championship in Baton Rouge. He was one of the 15 and the only 10-year-old from North Louisiana.
A great all-around player, Lelex plays first base, third base and pitching, with a fast ball at 57 m.p.h. His favorite position is first base. And he can hit. He has hit 10 home runs at 300 ft. or better. His team is called “The Stickmen Shock.”
Things just keep getting better. Lelex was chosen for the Perfect Game Nations to be played in Houston in November. He will represent Louisiana for 10-year-olds.
Lelex’s goal is to play Major League Baseball. He wants to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His brother is Kingston Terrell, who is 11, just a year older than Lelex. He loves baseball, too, and also fishing. He plays for the Louisiana Prospects out of Bossier City. His nickname is “Coach,” as he tried to tell his brother how to play.