Just want to share with you some of my reflections of the significance of MLK, Jr. Day.

 

I asked a young teenage about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and he told me he thought that Dr. King was one of the presidents or something. I was a little dismayed but not totally surprised by his answer.  We must realized that to many young people the story of Dr. King is ancient history and has no relevance to their life today. Basically, it is a shame.  

 

There is an African saying that "a people without knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots".  Maybe this is just one of the reason why so many of our young people seem to be drifting aimlessly today. They do not know the history of their family, their culture or the events that may have made them into who they are. We, Atlanta Select Coaches and Team Parent Coordinators, must commit ourselves to help change this situation. We operate in the city of his birth and we must be called to order.

 

 

As a college student in the early 60's I participated in the movement to desegregate the bowling alley facilities and lunch counters in my hometown of Orangeburg, SC. I had the honor of hearing Dr. King speak in the community and was spell bounded by his sincerity and commitment. As a student protestor, I served two weeks in jail. Thus, I had to have a waiver to enter the military because I was classified as a jail bird. Consequently, all charges were ruled null and voided and I served my country honorably for 23 years.

 

Years later as a young Army Officer in the late 60's serving with the 82d Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC, my unit was ordered to deploy to Washington, DC to assist in restoring peace and order during the riots that occurred after Dr. King's assassination. Luckily, peace and calm was rapidly restored in the neighborhoods that I were in, but, the weight of bearing the hurt of Dr. King's death and my role to help calm the people are memories that I will never forget.

 

 

A year or so later I received orders to deploy to Viet Nam. I remember driving from an Army base in Alabama to home on leave before flying out to Viet Nam.  I was listening on the car radio to Dr. King's speech on "Why he opposed the war in Viet Nam". Here, I was about to deploy. Dr King's speech made me reflect on what I was about to do and the decisions I would have to make. But I had made a commitment to serve my country and that is what I had to do. I realized Dr. King loved his country, right or wrong, and he was committed to "See It Through".

 

 

Years later, in the early 80's, while living in Virginia, I brought my young family to visit some friends in Atlanta, While here we visited many sites to include the King Memorial. We fell in love with the city and stated that I wanted to live here after retirement. I remember a comment from one of the friends we were visiting who was raising two young sons. She said "I am afraid for my sons", "This world, this city is so hard on our young Black boys". I was a little taken back by her comments, especially after experiencing such a good time in town. After living for so many years strictly in a military environment and on military reservations, I was becoming oblivious to the real world around us. However, I was about to retire and I still wanted to make Atlanta, the city of Dr. King, my home. We have lived here since 1984.

 

 

The rest is contemporary history. My family and I love Atlanta and I am committed to help save our young boys and girls and try to reduce the fear of raising our young people. That is why I have become active in youth sports. It is a way to stress education, teach life skills and expose them to basketball. It is not easy and that is why We, as Atlanta Select, must take more than a cavalier role in our jobs as coaches and leaders. I am proud that when our teams play tournaments in Memphis that they take time to visit the King Memorial in that city.  Exposure is just more than playing basketball. Pictured below is our 13u Boys Team Black 8732 last summer visiting the Lorraine Motel, in which Dr. King was assassinated. 

 

 

I would highly recommend that all young people read as much as possible about Dr. King and his role in the Civil Rights movement. I would also recommend the DVD series on the "Eyes on the Prize".

 

 

The struggle that this holiday itself has is to not just be another day off. I advise all to reflect on the meaning of Dr. King to you and the impact he has made on your life and pass it on. The mission of this holiday today  has been expanded to include volunteerism, interracial cooperation and anti-violence initiatives. You, as Atlanta Selects, I appreciate your volunteerism, you goal to be an equal and fair coach to all and to teach our young people survival "Life Skills".

 

Let's remember and reflect on the lives of Dr. and Mrs. King today.

 

 

Coach Z.

 

P.S. You are free to pass it on.

Thanks.  

Some players and coaches are not pictured above.