CHARLOTTE — On a hot Sunday afternoon you can hear the music before you see the packed cars of young men cruising into Our Lady of Consolation Church’s gymnasium parking lot. The metal doors to the gym are bolted shut.
A look of slight disappointment sets in. “Hey, man, I know you’re in there. Open up!” someone yells while gently knocking. A roar of laughter mixed with relief surrounds the crowd as Coach Morris “Rocky” Whitaker swings open the door. Whitaker smiles, wipes his brow, and demands the group to dress out while he cheerfully high fives each person.
Ten minutes later, the group of six turns into a group of 20, with more people trickling in after that. Some are coming for the first time. Some consider this gym their home – a Sunday routine with their children, their wives, their grandchildren. Basketballs bounce on the newly renovated gym floor.
Whitaker finishes sweeping, and a young man hands him a dollar. “Remember who helps you sweep,” he jokes.
“Got to keep these lights on,” Whitaker replies with a grin.
“Some dudes bring in a dollar every week, some bring nothing and then one day they give over $10. It depends. It’s really not about the money,” Whitaker explains. “You see that guy right there, Jazrael? He’s grown up here. He’s bringing his kid around here now. See her? Ebony just graduated. You gotta talk to Award – he’s something else, he’s been here for a while. There’s another one ... oh yeah, Marcus, he’ll tell you.”
As Whitaker points, he’s interrupted with shouts from across the court. “Hey, Coach! Watch this guy right here…”
Balls are bouncing, three-pointers swishing and all types of pre-game “smack” talk is getting thrown down. The crowd gets larger, bleachers fill up, chairs are dragged out for newcomers.
Whitaker looks at his watch, then grabs his clipboard. “They’re waiting for me.”
He chooses two captains, including Ebony, the only girl on the court.
Award explains, “So it goes like this: you got the winners and the losers. The losers are on the left, the winners on the right. We play four on four. If your team wins five in a row, you get your picture taken and put into the Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been coming to this place since I was 25; I’m 33. It means a lot to me. Good atmosphere. Competitive, but in a controlled environment. Not like street ball, when you got bros yelling and fighting more than playing.”
Whitaker points to names from a list displayed on a poster for the Annual Benefit Concert held once a year to support the OLC Sports Leadership Initiative. The latest concert was held Aug. 20.
“These guys all came up through here, all going to college, graduating. Some have full scholarships,” he says. “This one, he needed a book – $250 for a book. Can you believe that? One book! We got him that book, though.”
His hand moves slowly across six photographs above the list of names. “These are the ones that passed. This one here, this is my son, Morrison Whitaker. This one had an illness, this one was in a wreck, these two went out one night and never came back.”
His finger drops. A caption on the flyer states, “The OLC Sports Leadership Initiative is inspired by the memory of Morris Whitaker and the SLI family.”
“We do the benefit concert once a year to raise money for the gym. We made $2,600, enough to go on for another eight to nine months and sponsor some kids for summer camp.”
Whitaker may understate the importance of the benefit concert, but it is a genuine experience with inspirational music and unique talent. His nephew, Matthew Whitaker, has been one of the performers. Born blind, he began playing the piano when he was 3. He is nationally renowned for his ability and has even played at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Back on the court, a commotion erupts. “You’re traveling!” “Tell him, Coach!”
Co-Coach Randy Dupree quickly resolves the situation and gets everybody playing again.
“This has been my life every Sunday for the last 20 years,” Coach Dupree says proudly. “I keep them from getting in trouble. We’ve seen a lot of kids come through here. We even got one playing for the Raiders. Word gets out about this place. People come in here from all walks of life, but we just take ’em where they are and coach them.”
Player Kiki Burton adds, “Education is important. I graduated from North Carolina Central. Coach wants these guys to go down the right path, get an education. I used to work at the detention center. I would always recommend this place to the released. I have been coming here with my dad since I was young and it is just such a positive, safe spot.”
LaMarcus Taylor has played since he was in middle school and now his son, Little Marcus, is playing today. “At first, this was like a getaway place from my problems. It was a positive outlet and I enjoyed coming. The first time it hit, like, wow, this place is it, was when a situation occurred. Someone took something, stole something. Coach stepped in in a way I have never seen. He sat us down and taught us about positivity and family. I looked around and I thought to myself, ‘This is how a man acts. This is how I want to behave as a man.’ Ever since, we’ve been family. It started in the gym. Now, it is outings and dinners, everything. We see each other all the time. My son asks me about this place every Friday. He loves coming here almost as much as I do.”
Whitaker stops the game for a second and announces he wants to snap a group picture. Quickly the teams gather in the middle of the court while he directs who stands and sits. He tells them, “Believe it or not, guys, we are making a difference in this community!” He holds up a copy of the Catholic News Herald. “They want to write a story on us. We are changing people.”
The group glows with accomplishment and satisfaction, not because of the story, but because of Whitaker’s compliment.
Each Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. you can find Whitaker and the rest of the OLC Sports Leadership team in the gym with the players and a few well-worn basketballs, and a growing list of people with bright futures.
— Lisa Geraci, Correspondent
Want to support the OLC Sports Leadership Initiative?
If you are compelled by the work of the OLC Sports Leadership Initiative, please send donations to: Our Lady of Consolation Church Sports Leadership Team, 1235 Badger Ct., Charlotte, N.C. 28206.
This year the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday on Sept. 17.
The 2017 theme is “Living as Missionary Disciples.” Those who the parish community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry.
Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of their baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for everyone to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith. Below are stories of parishes that are trying new catechetical approaches for youth and adults.
Resources online
At www.usccb.org: Download resources including prayer cards, and read more about how encourage people, especially young people and families, to become missionary disciples