Youth summer league crowns six basketball champions

Youth summer league crowns six basketball champions

by | Sep 4, 2021 | Uncategorized

By JEFF OLIVER

MVI Sports

When Yancey Taylor was putting together his We Care for Kids Sports Summer Basketball League, he admitted he was pretty much winging it.

“I didn’t know all the ins and outs of how it would turn out, I just wanted to do something for the kids,” Taylor said. “When I was a kid, I was given an opportunity and I tried to make the most of it. It was important to me to give these kids an opportunity and an experience they would never forget.

“Once we started planning, things really took off.”

For two months, Taylor’s league brought over 350 boys and girls in grades 3-8 together to compete.

On Thursday, at Ringgold Middle School, six champions were crowned for winning their respective divisions.

Now that it’s over, the former Ringgold and European basketball star said he just feels humbled and blessed.

“Things could not have gone any better,” he said. “From the first day at Highland Terrace court in June when I saw the amazing crowd for the games to our last championship games, it was really smooth sailing.

“To see how hard these kids competed and worked through the summer, we didn’t lose one kid. Nobody quit. That says a lot about these kids and my staff. What an experience this has been.”

Taylor emphasized that the league wasn’t about him, but about the kids, his staff, and sponsors.

“We preach working as a team to the kids and this was a total team effort,” he said proudly. “This wasn’t ever about me. It was a team effort from the kids, team effort from the staff, team effort from the parents, and team effort from our sponsors.”

Taylor praised his sponsors for their generous financial support, his staff of volunteers who gave of their time graciously, and the parents of the players who were so supportive. 

“I can’t name everyone who helped, but they know who they are. They were the real stars,” Taylor said. 

He again mentioned the support he received from the Ringgold School District, Washington County Commissioners, and the Washington County Housing Authority. Without their help, this doesn’t happen. Everyone I went to was a huge help. People behind the scenes just came through large. he said. It’s nice to see so many people care about our kids, our future athletes, leaders, business people. Taylor said after games during the season, he made it a point to chat with the parents to get their take on how things were going. The response he got was very satisfying.
I can’t tell you how many parents said this has been the best thing for our kids, for our community, he said. They all said they can’t wait to come back next year if we have the League. So the question needs to be asked will there be a We Care for Kids SportsLeague next summer?
Taylor didn’t hesitate
“God willing, if I’m blessed to still be here next year we are going to do it again and next time it will be bigger and better. That, I promise you.”
One of the compliments Taylor received the text him the most come from Mike Ghilani Superintendent of the West Jefferson Hills School District.  Ghilani wrote on Taylor’s Facebook page Yancey, “The league was a huge success. You should be proud. Your vision became reality.” Things like that let me know it was worthwhile, Taylor said. That and watching the kids enjoy themselves.
Taylor kicking off youth summer basketball league

Taylor kicking off youth summer basketball league

by | Aug 16, 2021 | Uncategorized

The We Care For Kids Sports Summer Basketball League begins in June for kids in grades 3-8.

By JEFF OLIVER MVI Sports

Submitted Donora native Yancey Taylor (left) poses for a photo with CBS Sports Rules Analyst Gene Steratore during a recent meeting on the formation of the We Care For Kids Sports Summer Basketball League in Donora.

Yancey Taylor learned the game of basketball at a young age.

He honed his skills and his ability to play basketball served him very well in his life.

In high school, he became Ringgold’s all-time leading scorer.

In college, he led Indiana University of Pennsylvania to the top of the heap in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and into the NCAA Division II playoffs and later into the IUP Hall of Fame.

After college, he played professionally overseas for eight years, where he was a star.

Now that his playing career is over, the Donora resident and sports consultant, wants to give as many kids as he can the possibility to not only play, but succeed in the sport he loves so much.

Thanks to the help of some key volunteers, interested political leaders and some successful friends who also were born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, Taylor will be launching the We Care For Kids Sports Summer Basketball League.

The league, open for boys and girls teams in grades 3-8, opens play in June. But starting this week, Taylor will be conducting instructional clinics for children in the league to help them prepare for play in the summer.

The clinics, as well as the season-opening games on June 6, will be held at the newly refurbished court at Highland Terrace, where Taylor grew up.

The rest of the season will be played at Ringgold Middle School and Ringgold Elementary South gyms.

“I just care about kids and so many kids struggle because there is nothing for them to do,” said Taylor. “The league is already sold out with over 300 kids. The response has been amazing. We have boys and girls teams from everywhere coming, not only locally, but from schools like Thomas Jefferson, South Fayette and Albert Gallatin.

“This thing has really taken off. I’ve had to turn some teams away, which makes me feel bad. But the most important thing I’m worried about is the kids. They are the future. When I was growing up, I had people like Ray Amatangelo help me. We need to help our kids, give them something to shoot for, to look forward to.”

You don’t just get 300 grade school and middle school kids together that easily, and Taylor admits he had a lot of help along the way.

It all started a year ago when Taylor saw the deplorable condition of the court at Highland Terrace.

“I had so much fun playing there when I was a kid and to see it like that was heartbreaking. It was just terrible,” he said. “I felt like I had to do something. I contacted Diana Irey Vaughn and the Washington County Commissioners and she ensured me something would be done.”

The County and the Washington County Housing Authority renovated the basketball court.

He then thought about holding a youth summer league there and he enlisted the help of former Ringgold standouts Art Coleman and Scott Nedrow to help. He also reached out to another prestigious Ringgold grad, Ulice Payne Jr.

Payne, who made history in 2002 when he became the first African American to run a Major League baseball franchise when he was named CEO and president of the Milwaukee Brewers, pledged his financial support.

And Taylor didn’t stop there. He contacted Gene Steratore, a native of Uniontown and a retired NFL and college basketball official who is now a rules analyst for CBS Sports. Steratore also jumped at the chance to help.

“I got to know Yancey when I officiated some of his games at Ringgold and later at IUP,” said Steratore. “We pretty much stayed in contact over the years. When he called me to tell me what he was doing, I told him I’d help in any way I could.

“I told him I will show up whenever I can to do whatever he needs me to do.” Last week, Taylor held a meeting at the Donora Borough Building with his committee and other interested people to go over the plans.

“There were between 25 and 30 people there,” Taylor said. “It was so rewarding to see so many people who care about kids and want to be involved. And when Gene walked into the room, I think people realized just how real and serious this is. He will be a huge asset.”

“We’re doing this first class,” he said. “I want these kids to see people care and they matter.”