THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 9, 1996 TAG: 9608080158
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BARBARA J. WOERNER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 90 lines
Saturday's sudden deluge failed to put a damper on those participating in the finals of the 1996 Grant L. Wylie basketball tournament at Bayside High School.
As the water backed up along Haygood Road, flooding the entrance to the school parking lot and temporarily stranding motorists with stalled vehicles, several tournament participants and attendees splashed through the accumulating water on foot to higher ground on school property.
Inside, the gym was awash with the sounds of high-intensity basketball competition. Every Thursday through Saturday for the past five weeks, 32 teams - mainly from at-risk Virginia Beach neighborhoods - played and practiced their way to the finals. The tournament winners of the boys' 18-and-under division not only walked away with trophies, but played a final game with a team comprised mostly of Virginia Beach police officers from the 3rd Precinct.
Carol Williams, Community Action Resource Empowerment (C.A.R.E) coordinator, alternated between giving cold water to thirsty players at a small refreshment stand and sitting in the bleachers enjoying the fast pace of the competition.
``You know, our youth is the greatest investment in this city,'' said Williams, who is also the Neighborhood Services administrator for the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation for the city. ``Basketball is one of the few sports that brings about parental involvement - most of the fathers of our players do come out to our games.''
Parental involvement, community policing, conflict resolution, citizenship and self-discipline were other factors quietly at work amid the squeak of basketball shoes and the shrill sound of the referee's whistle.
The results of the program speak louder than words. While the games were played with the competitive intensity of an NBA championship, public displays of profanity and outbursts of temper were almost nonexistent.
``With the league open to all on a city-wide basis, we hope to help resolve turf issues at the different schools and cross the different social-economic lines,'' said Williams. ``We schedule our games as late as 10 p.m on purpose so as to accommodate the greatest number of players.
``We roughly estimate that on any given weekend we keep 600 kids off the streets as either players or spectators,'' she added. ``The kids want it to last longer and they tell us they don't have much else to do when it ends.''
The tournament, named in honor of the late Virginia Beach Police Sgt. Grant L. Wylie, is in its second year and was originally established as the New Jack Swing Tournament sponsored by LOR Records and Teddy Riley. Wylie, who died of a heart attack in January 1995, was one of the first members of the C.A.R.E. Committee, which funds and runs the event, and was known for his work with area youth.
``This tournament was his idea,'' said Williams. ``He started the basketball league, was one of the first involved in community policing, and he would always say, `let's start a basketball tournament.'
``He would work day and night to get the kids involved,'' continued Williams. ``He was an exceptional guy and this was his dream.''
This June, another of Wylie's dreams became reality. C.A.R.E. awarded seven scholarships of $500 each from the Grant L. Wylie Scholarship Fund. These scholarships will be used toward the payment of tuition and expenses of any institute of higher learning.
Wayne Lynch, coach of Lynch's Allstars, the tournament champs in the boys 16-and-under division, grinned as two of his players, Damien Fox and La Shawn Lindsey, raced out to a nearby police cruiser. With trophies in hand they leaped into the back seat of the cruiser talking and laughing with Officer Brian Goode of the 3rd Precinct.
``This is a very worthwhile cause considering the times in our communities,'' said Lynch. ``I'm a strong advocate of athletic involvement and I think it plays a strong role in the future development of our kids.''
Lynch is typical of the more than 60 volunteer coaches and assistants that participate in the tournament. He is a volunteer coach during the regular basketball season for Bayside Middle School and hopes to help point all his players in a positive direction.
``I stress self-discipline, good attitude and academics,'' Lynch said. ``I tell them that if a man doesn't stand for something he'll fall for anything.''
Lynch gestured toward the door and the police cruiser with the back seat full of his exuberant players. ``And, I tell them police are your friends.''
At the close of the last game of the tournament, the boys 18-and-under tournament champs, Seatack, defeated the team representing the 3rd Precinct, 76-73. Officers Brian Goode, Keith Bryant, Tony Whitmore and James Avery actively represented the precinct along with others who agreed to fill out the team.
Under a banner that read ``We are family,'' the precinct players received a plaque for their participation and posed for photos with Seatack.
``They were excited about the possibility of beating us,'' said Officer Earl Chandler. ``This is a good way for us to get to know the tournament participants and for them to get to know us.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BARBARA WOERNER
Coach Gary Casey, right, urges on his Cavaliers during a timeout.
The team lost to Seatack in the 18-and-under final of the Grant L.
Wylie basketball tournament at Bayside High. by CNB