Philadelphia Leadership Academy: Community Partnership Update - 6/30/08

Coming into our second to last day in the City of Brotherly Love, we as a group have accomplished so much since my last post. To start, I find it ironic that we come to this city to begin these boy's quest for leadership. In the past days the tight knit group that had so much potential has yet to falter. Our kids no longer sit at the same table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It almost seems planned every morning when they sit down for breakfast, new tables, new groups and new conversations. It is as if these boys were long lost friends sitting down after years and telling stories about their experiences. However the distinction is still there from the occasional outburst of song from the group when they hear their favorite song come over the loud speakers. Since my last post our boys have been through class room instruction for a National Referee course, Sports Source(College Direction), and a lecture leadership from the CIO of a major pharmaceutical corporation. I would still warn our parents about looking at their boys as saints(And I'm sure you don't), because even I have found myself nodding off in the classroom.

On the field our boys have yet to let down our club and area. And as we began yesterday with our hands on coaching clinic. our guys were asked to perform their own coaching session. The night before Tony asked our guys to begin planning their session. As I sat in on their planning I found a new meaning for WWJD (What Would Johnny Do), i suggest we immediately come up with some bracelets and distribute them around the community. Their sessions were consisting of dribbling, passing, and awareness. Coach Kendal and Coach Zach proposed a simple game of Cowboys and Indians with no restrictions to work on passing and awareness. Needless to say the instructor praised them for their creativity but suggested that safety was an issue.

That night we played a full field indoor game where there would be no restrictions, just play. However, Tony told them they would be evaluated. There is nothing negative I can relate to anyone about our boys on the field. We play with a professionalism unseen by many of our highest paid athletes, and yet there is much to work on. What we have learned though this half week is that there is a natural leader in our ranks. Tony told him as blunt as can be and in his own words: "Kendal, You are a leader, you are a captain, you lead on the field, and you keep the mood light when it needs to be off it. You offer everyone respect and you listen before you speak. Kendal you are a leader." Since then, not just Kendal, but the others have responded to their new found maturity, as if they only needed to be told, you are allowed to act like a leader.

I mentioned earlier that I found it ironic that we come to this city for this camp of leadership. Last night we skipped out on knocking the ball around at night for what was supposed to be a quick focus group on how to unite the nation through soccer. The boys were split between 3 equal groups, each group consisted of 4 kids. Their assignment was to a) come up with how the camp could be better, and b) decide how can we unite ourselves. The first suggestion was next year they should take the overnight campers out for Philly Cheese Steaks subs. As we began to discuss how to unite ourselves, I can only speak for myself when I say this; however, I could see it in both other coaches as well. My eyes watered and my stomach dropped.The scheme these kids developed was most convincing. I am unsure as how much information I am allowed to share, but our children may have discovered a method in which no child will ever be told: "College is out of the question."

In respect for their ideas and profound maturity, we went out on the town to Geno's (Philly's Best Cheese Steaks). On the way back, there was a unanimous request for a sightseeing tour with only one destination, Independence Hall.

Signing Off,
Alex Spirn