(Sept. 7, 2017) Pulling the community together to instill positive messaging in youth is the underlying goal of ‘Hooping at Byrd Park,’ a weekly pickup basketball game held on Sunday evenings, beginning at 5:30 p.m., in Snow Hill.
Sylvester “Dawk” Bratten Sr., who helped launch the weekly event in mid-August, said he wanted to help the next generation to avoid making poor decisions that could have a long-term negative impact on their lives.
“There’s a lot going on in this small area that we need to pull back like it used to be,” he said.
Bratten, a deacon in training at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Snow Hill, reached out to Nick Purnell, with Free Indeed Ministries in Snow Hill, to help bring back a long-abandoned tradition.
“We call it the old school,” he said. “We used to play ball all the time. No matter what, we just played ball.”
After setting aside the first week to observe the young talent, Bratten and Purnell reunited members of the long-defunct New Wave Studio Men’s League basketball team, including Rodney Armstrong, Tyrone Dale, Derrick Fooks, B.J. Johnson and Shawn Johnson, for the second Sunday event.
“We took five old-school boys and challenged the younger guys,” Bratten said. “We won two games out of the three that we played.”
Bratten, who recently turned 55, said despite most of his crew being over 40, they played a strong perimeter game against competition half their age.
“We played a 2-3 zone and we walked the ball up and worked [it] around and just got the shot that we wanted,” he said.
Regardless of generational bragging rights, Bratten said the community turnout has been inspiring.
“We’ve got bleachers set up now and we even had a food truck come in,” he said. “The whole community’s coming out and watching.”
As Sunday sundown brings a close to the court competition, Bratten, Purnell and other elder voices end the evening with a purpose.
“We bring everybody into a circle and the older guys … we’ll talk and let the kids know what’s going on [and] what we’re doing,” Bratten said. “How we’re trying to motivate [and] how we’re trying to bring the community together.”
In fact, besides talk, the event has already begun having an impact on youth. During the third event Snow Hill Councilwoman LaToya Purnell, along with several staff members, did their part to pay it forward by providing items for children preparing to delve back into academic pursuits.
“They set up in the corner and we gave away school supplies and book bags,” he said.
“We hade Vice Principal Welch from the middle school come in last Sunday just to see what’s going on.”
Bratten and his cohorts hope what starts as motivational conversations on the basketball court lead to positive outcomes for youth.
“Shoot positive things into them and pass it on down to the next [generation],” he said. “I want this to be a domino effect.”
Sylvester “Dawk” Bratten Sr., who helped launch the weekly event in mid-August, said he wanted to help the next generation to avoid making poor decisions that could have a long-term negative impact on their lives.
“There’s a lot going on in this small area that we need to pull back like it used to be,” he said.
Bratten, a deacon in training at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Snow Hill, reached out to Nick Purnell, with Free Indeed Ministries in Snow Hill, to help bring back a long-abandoned tradition.
“We call it the old school,” he said. “We used to play ball all the time. No matter what, we just played ball.”
After setting aside the first week to observe the young talent, Bratten and Purnell reunited members of the long-defunct New Wave Studio Men’s League basketball team, including Rodney Armstrong, Tyrone Dale, Derrick Fooks, B.J. Johnson and Shawn Johnson, for the second Sunday event.
“We took five old-school boys and challenged the younger guys,” Bratten said. “We won two games out of the three that we played.”
Bratten, who recently turned 55, said despite most of his crew being over 40, they played a strong perimeter game against competition half their age.
“We played a 2-3 zone and we walked the ball up and worked [it] around and just got the shot that we wanted,” he said.
Regardless of generational bragging rights, Bratten said the community turnout has been inspiring.
“We’ve got bleachers set up now and we even had a food truck come in,” he said. “The whole community’s coming out and watching.”
As Sunday sundown brings a close to the court competition, Bratten, Purnell and other elder voices end the evening with a purpose.
“We bring everybody into a circle and the older guys … we’ll talk and let the kids know what’s going on [and] what we’re doing,” Bratten said. “How we’re trying to motivate [and] how we’re trying to bring the community together.”
In fact, besides talk, the event has already begun having an impact on youth. During the third event Snow Hill Councilwoman LaToya Purnell, along with several staff members, did their part to pay it forward by providing items for children preparing to delve back into academic pursuits.
“They set up in the corner and we gave away school supplies and book bags,” he said.
“We hade Vice Principal Welch from the middle school come in last Sunday just to see what’s going on.”
Bratten and his cohorts hope what starts as motivational conversations on the basketball court lead to positive outcomes for youth.
“Shoot positive things into them and pass it on down to the next [generation],” he said. “I want this to be a domino effect.”