The former youth director for the Wilkes YMCA just wanted to find a way for his younger sister and her friends to get the chance to play other teams from around the state.
"The boys leagues at the YMCA selected all-star teams and they would play in Y league tournaments and things like that," Stokes said. "But there was really nothing for the girls. So I put together a 12-and-under girls team. There were probably only six or seven other teams in our age group that first year at the state tournament."
Like AAU girls basketball in general around North Carolina, the Wilkes Diamonds program has blossomed since that time. More than 25 years later, Stokes can count hundreds upon hundreds of alumni who have put on Wilkes Diamonds jerseys. Many have been stars, earning a chance to continue playing at the college level.
This year, the Diamonds put eight different girls teams on the court, in age groups ranging from eight to 18.
Three of those squads qualified for an AAU National Tournament. One team will make the journey to play against national competition -- the 12-and-under group, which leaves this weekend for a Division II level tournament in Bloomington, Indiana.
That 12-and-under squad already has one impressive tournament gold medal under its belt, winning the Great Smoky Mountain Shootout in Asheville in late spring. That tournament is known as the largest in the Southeast, Stokes said, fielding more than 180 teams in various age groups.
"I've taken 11 different teams to national tournaments over the last 20 years," Stokes said. "We've done pretty well on the national level. I feel like this team has really worked hard. We've been without our starting point guard for the last month, but the other girls are stepping up.
"We're not a one or two player team. We've got kids from three or four different schools here and they all get along well."
More than 70 Wilkes Diamonds players have gone to either play college basketball or have received full college basketball scholarships, Stokes said.
Allie Absher, the all-time leading scorer at East Wilkes High, went to play for Appalachian State. Jessica Mitchell, a standout at Wilkes Central, earned a chance to play at Davidson.
Both are now back working with the Wilkes Diamonds program as coaches. Absher coaches the 14-and-under team, while Mitchell coaches the 11-and-under team.
This past year was a banner one for Wilkes Diamonds players in terms of landing college hoops opportunities.
Whitley Culler, the Mountain Valley 2A player of the year from North Surry, received a full ride to Lenoir-Rhyne, worth about $130,000.
North Wilkes post player Sarah Smith and East Wilkes guard Ashley Wilcox both earned chances to play at Salem College, along with Boonville's Jessica Hunter, who played at Mount Airy the past two seasons. Alicia Wallace, also of North Surry, has signed with Montreat College.
Wilkes Diamonds alum and former Elkin High star Kelsey Rector just finished her freshman season at Salem, breaking a few school records and earning national recognition in her collegiate debut. Her younger sister, Ashlen Rector, is a part of the Wilkes 12s team going to Indiana. Kelsey's dad, Lane Rector, is a long-time coach in the program.
While wearing different jerseys during high school hoops, the recent graduates have played together for many years under the Wilkes Diamonds banner.
"Basically we try to provide an opportunity for girls in Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin, Ashe and Alleghany counties the opportunity to improve their basketball skills on a competitive level," Stokes said. "And it builds strong character. Girls who are involved in AAU basketball are likely to make better grades, less likely to be involved in drugs, alcohol or early pregnancy, things like that."
Stokes is proud that his program doesn't affiliate with one area high school but tries to better all of the local teams. It's hard to argue with the results given the success that programs like East Surry, East Wilkes, North Surry and others have enjoyed in recent years.
The future looks bright as well, with a strong group of girls coming up through the middle school ranks, like the ones who play for the Wilkes 12s.
"We've got excellent support from the high school coaches in the area," Stokes said. "Most of them love having us around. Most of them understand it's a joint effort between their program and our program to help develop girls basketball talent in this area.
"We're not there to do anything extra for just one high school. I don't care where a kid goes to high school. If they want to play basketball, they've got a place in our program.
"We do owe special thanks to East Wilkes High School and Elkin High School for being the most supportive of our program, and also North Wilkes. Those are the schools we practice at most of the time."
For the first 22 years, players were not charged to be a part of the Wilkes Diamonds. In recent years, Stokes has added a $40 program fee, which covers things like a player's AAU and YBOA membership.
It's still one of the lowest fees in the state. The Diamonds remain a non-profit organization.
"Some of your programs in other places, they charge these kids $300 to $500, and that's just to be on the team," he said. "That doesn't guarantee them a minute of playing time. And they play in the same tournaments that we do, so they don't get any more exposure than we get. We're very proud of the fact that we have kept it very inexpensive."
The Wilkes 12s obviously had to raise a lot of money to put together their Indiana trip. Parents and players have worked as hard off the court as on it to find sponsors and financial backing. The Wilkes team could be in Indiana for more than a week, depending on how well they play.
The opening ceremonies for the tournament will be at Assembly Hall, home of the Indiana Hoosiers college team. Regardless of wins and losses in Bloomington, the girls will likely have an experience to cherish for a lifetime -- like the hundreds of Wilkes Diamonds alumni who have come before them.
Other players include Jessica Bumgarner, Mika Sprinkle, Martha Mastin, Kristina Rumplasch, Laken Blevins, Madison Durham, Erin Royal and Ashley Hayes. Paula Stokes, Chip Durham and Lane Rector serve as assistant coaches.
"The girls in our program do work extremely hard," Bradley Stokes said. "They and their parents make sacrifices more than what some people can believe or understand.
"The biggest thing is we get good kids, with good attitudes who make good grades who want to get better. Without those kinds of kids, you can't run a program like this in a small area."
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