The We Care For Kids Sports Summer Basketball League begins in June for kids in grades 3-8.
By JEFF OLIVER MVI SportsSubmitted 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.”
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