fbpx
33.6 F
Spokane
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
spot_img
HomeCommentarySpokane police, pastor work with local youth through basketball program

Spokane police, pastor work with local youth through basketball program

Date:

Related stories

St. Benedict: Listening deeply for the voice of God

Prayer often focuses on speaking, but true connection with God involves deep listening. St. Benedict emphasized humility, silence, and attentive listening to God.

I am afraid: A faith-based warning about moral decline

A faith leader explains why they are afraid for America's future, examining how the erosion of Christian principles in leadership and society threatens moral foundations and national stability.

Spokane Bishop: I am proud to call Bishop Budde a colleague in ministry

Bishop Budde's sermon calling for unity, mercy and dignity faced criticism, but Spokane's Bishop Rehberg stands proud of her colleague’s inclusive leadership and values.

Greenland for sale? Trump’s vision of expansion hits a cultural and ethical wall

Trump’s bid to buy Greenland, rich in rare earth minerals, faces rejection from locals and Denmark, sparking debates on sovereignty, ethics and global relations.

Martin Luther King Jr — hope for justice resonates across time

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Read how columnist Sarah Haug relates to these words today.

Our Sponsors

spot_img
Youth pray before a basketball game.
Youth pray before a basketball game.

It was 12 p.m. on July 2, and the 98-degree heat radiated off the asphalt basketball court in Liberty Park. Pastor Tommy Williams, wearing a neon yellow shirt labeled “COACH” blew a whistle.

“I need the following players at the table: Lacey, Levi Bob and Theresa,” he said.

Williams, executive director of Operation Healthy Family, handed out red and blue jerseys with S.P.Y.A.L. on them to the players. Chaos reigned on the small court as more than 50 children, their parents and police officers mingled in the heat, trying to get players coordinated for the first match between the OHF Ballers and the Swagtastic.

SPYAL, or Spokane Police Youth Athletic League, is a 10-week neighborhood basketball league designed to build rapport between police officers and at-risk youth. The league is the brainchild of Pastor Shon Davis, Officer Jennifer DeRuwe, Chief Frank Straub and several other local community leaders and police officers. Davis grew up near gang activity in Los Angeles, and when he moved to Spokane he saw many of the same influences on local children. He and other pastors thought it was important to start fixing things, and start young. They approached Straub to discuss a solution.

DeRuwe said kids in neighborhoods like the one near Liberty Park don’t have good memories of police officers. Many of their older siblings are in gangs, and their families often live in poverty. Their only relationships with police officers are often built on fear and mistrust, and she wants to change that.

“I want kids to remember that personal relationship, like ‘I hung out with that guy,’ or, ‘I played basketball with her at the park every week’,” she said. “Instead of ‘[the police] showed up to arrest their parents.”

Basketball seemed like an engaging, low-cost way to get to know local kids, DeRuwe said. Since the league started up immediately after Hoopfest, it seemed like a natural transition into a popular sport. Still, the officers weren’t sure how many would attend.

The response was overwhelming. Organizers expected 32 kids at most, and almost twice that showed up for the first game, according to Lydia Taylor, Spokane Police public information officer.

The season began with a kickoff event June 25 at Spokane’s skate park, where kids painted over graffiti for an hour to get free basketball gear and jerseys, Taylor said. The turnout there was big, but today’s event is drawing a bigger crowd, which is promising for the future of this donation-run pilot program.

“Our goal is to bring this to other neighborhoods, and perhaps other sports,” Taylor said.

Each team has one police officer and one community leader (usually one of the pastors) participating, as well as boys and girls. In addition to building positive relationships with the officers, DeRuwe sees it as a good way to connect families with potential local service providers in their area that they might have been unaware of.

“Working with the community leaders connects the kids with needed resources,” she said.

SPYAL games are on Tuesdays at noon, and the program includes weekly basketball practice on Thursdays. The final game of the season is scheduled for Aug. 29.

Elizabeth Backstrom
Elizabeth Backstrom
Elizabeth Backstrom majored in journalism at Western Washington University and currently works as remotely as a grant writer. Her background is in news writing and features, but if an overabundance of caffeine is consumed, she has been known to write a humor piece or two. Backstrom attended various Christian churches growing up in Washington State and in her free time enjoys reading about history, religion and politics.

Our Sponsors

spot_img
spot_img
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x