THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL
Sunday, September 9, 2012 | Memphis, TN | Local News/My Life Greater Memphis
MAM’s Summer Hoops promotes brotherly love
By Anne Chambers
Special to My Life
A fun, end of the summer basketball day was held recently at Memphis Athletic Ministries’ (MAM) Grizzlies Center. Organized by two volunteers David Visinksy and Ken Edwards, the purpose of the event was to promote friendships between two groups of sports-minded boys on a Saturday afternoon in urban Memphis.
“Playing sports is just a natural way to forge friendships and teach all kids about loving their neighbors,” says MAM volunteer Visinsky.
Visinsky and Edwards spend three to four hours a week doing what they deem is a worthwhile investment in today’s youth — coaching basketball teams at Memphis Athletic Ministries’ Greenlaw youth center in the Uptown neighborhood.
Located in an economically challenged area of Memphis, the MAM Greenlaw center serves under-resourced youth who may not be exposed to life outside of their urban community.
With that in mind, Visinsky and Edwards saw an opportunity to bring boys from different parts of Memphis together. They worked with Detric Golden, MAM Greenlaw director, and formed basketball teams that combined youth from the suburbs and the young men who attend the after school program at MAM Greenlaw.
“It is amazing the camaraderie among all boys that has resulted from the efforts of Dave and Ken,” says Detric Golden. “At MAM we teach our youth to live out the Gospel by loving their neighbors. Having kids from the suburbs come to MAM Greenlaw gives a whole new definition to the term ‘neighbor.’ Both groups of kids are learning who their neighbor is and seeing the importance of living out this biblical mandate daily.”
As the summer came to a close, the MAM volunteers decided that a day of basketball games was the perfect way to close the season. “The MAM folks easily jumped on board with the idea and worked hard to make it a lively, fun day. We had 10 MAM teams play in the tournament and four local church teams,” says Edwards. “It was such a positive experience for urban and suburban boys alike.”
