|
A Game to Remember
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
By: Devereux Beneto
(Pennsylvania)
Devereux Beneto
Articles |
This summer the Devereux Brandywine Boys Basketball Team received a unique and special invitation. They were invited to play a game against the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia. The Police Athletic League of Philadelphia (PAL) is a large non-profit committed to “Cops Helping Kids." Philadelphia PAL is comprised of 27 community centers across Philadelphia, serving over 26,000 kids. The centers are supervised by Philadelphia Police Officers who, with the help of community volunteers, provide youngsters, who are often disadvantaged, mentoring and guidance, life skills, and sports, education, and recreational opportunities that will hopefully give them a better chance at a successful life.
After much planning and anticipation, 10 members of the Brandywine basketball team were chosen to represent Devereux. They traveled to the Paley PAL Center in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on a hot, July day to play the six police officers who had volunteered to take on the fearless and talented Brandywine basketball team. The gym was quite warm as the game began and the officers soon realized that they had met their match. Both teams played with great intensity and enthusiasm, however, at half-time, the boys were clearly ahead.
During half-time, Officer Jones, from the Philadelphia Police Community Relations Department, asked the boys to come and join him in the middle of the gym. They sat quietly and listened intently as Officer Jones spoke about the mission of PAL and how he and his fellow officers work closely to help kids make better choices in their lives. He shared stories and experiences about several of the young people he has worked with and how they had faced in some cases almost insurmountable challenges but, with the help of PAL, had gone on to lead productive and meaningful lives. A few of the boys spoke saying that they too had dealt with a lot of problems and challenges in their lives and that they could easily understand what Officer Jones was saying to them.
All too soon, the referee blew the whistle and the second half of the game began. Neither team gave any ground this second half, but the Brandywine boys were too much of a match for the older officers, and in the end, Brandywine won! As they were leaving, each boy was given a PAL t-shirt from Officer Jones to remember this special game and the important words of wisdom and compassion that the officers shared with the boys. |
|
|
|
|
|
