BRINGING YOUNG LIVES TO CHRIST THROUGH BASKETBALL
Established in the 1960’s, with the vision and support of the late Rev. Elliott J. Mason, Sr., Pastor Trinity’s basketball program from its inception, focused on engaging the young men of Trinity into teamwork, team building, cooperation and Christian value concepts. Trinity’s basketball program eventually became an affiliate of the Organization of West Adams Christian Athletics (OWACA) League, an organization developed to sponsor and support organized basketball programs within the local churches.
OWACA is an affiliate program of the Los Angeles Council of Churches. This organization was established to provide the opportunity for young men and women to learn valuable lessons regarding team building, cooperation, commitment, building their prayer life, emotional, physical and spiritual growth as they learn about Christ through sports. OWACA’s emphasis on sportsmanship is to promote “Christ through Sports”, by providing opportunities to reach young persons, not only in the local church, but in the inner-city as well. Trinity’s program joined the OWACA League and soon became a powerhouse among competing churches.
Winning tournaments and championships were not the primary focus as was the need for teamwork and sportsmanship. These parameters were the coaching strategies and direction deployed by longtime founding coach Robert S. Dixon, and assistant coach, Deacon Michael Carlton.
For more than 20 years coach Dixon recruited, trained and mentored young men from the Jefferson Park and local Los Angeles communities to participate in Trinity’s Basketball Program. Coach Dixon made sure that God was in the midst of these young men in the basketball program. The young men spent much time in church, not only to receive recognition as a member of the basketball team, but to worship and participate in other church development activities.
Coach Dixon made his transition in 1995 and the program was taken over by then assistant coach Deacon Michael Carlton who, with the help of assistant coaches Minister Tim Harris and Brother Mark Andrews, kept up the winning tradition. As competition became stiffer in the OWACA League the championships became fewer. Although the competition became more prominent, Deacon Carlton never gave up because his goal was to bring as many of the youngsters to Christ as he could recruit into the program. Many of the youngsters came from broken homes, the streets, gangs and juvenile delinquency programs.
Coach Dixon nor Deacon Carlton were not fazed by where the youngsters came from. They had the important goal of bringing young lives to Christ through basketball, and they did. Many young men entered and completed Trinity’s basketball program and went on to other involvement but never forgot the mentoring they received from these coaches.
Deacon Carlton made his transition in 2007. We were fortunate that Deacon Carlton had recruited several coaches to assist him, and upon his transition, assistant coach Elbert Irving, III moved up to carry on the basketball ministry tradition. Today, the program is still working to bring young lives to Christ through basketball, and in a winning tradition.
Trinity has been blessed with effective coaches who kept their focus on the goal of developing Christian oriented young men who pointed their lives in the right direction. We were blessed with the opportunity to have introduced hundreds of youths to a relationship with Christ by using basketball as a road to their salvation. We have found the program to be an effective way for Christian youths to connect with their unsaved peers and share their faith and minister in an atmosphere where they all feel at home, the basketball court. Thanks to the dedication of our coaches over the years who didn’t mind the sacrifices they had to make to reach the ministry’s goal.
Trinity’s congregation has fully supported the program throughout the years because they believe it is important that the church be involved in saving the souls of our youngsters by mentoring and keeping them close to Christ. Throughout the years our volunteer coaches have worked hard to help free our youths from the strongholds of drugs, gangs, gang violence and alcohol. Today the problems that plague our youths are still there but our coaches, our congregation, and our Pastor never give up on the need to stay on course to help save their lives by bringing them closer to Christ through the basketball program.
Presently, the basketball ministry invites youths in the church and from Jefferson Park and surrounding communities to participate in a weekly practice session starting in October of the current year. The basketball team participates in a 10 game season with other church sponsored teams. Games are played on Saturday starting in January of the New Year and concluding in the month of March with a championship game and other events. Other scheduled events includes, 3-Point Shooting Contest, Slam Dunk Contest, All Star game, and a season ending banquet. Trophies and awards are given to each team-member of the participating teams at the season ending banquet celebrating the achievement of champions and other event activities winners. Through-out the course of the season, the ministry teaches good sportsmanship, and basketball skills while emphasizing Christian values.
Trinity’s Basketball Team – 2011. Bottom Row: (Left-to-Right) #11 Maquis Scott, #10 Jeffery Barton, #2 Angelo Watts, #21 Martine Robertson. Top Row: (Left-to-Right) Assistant Coach Robert Thompson, Assistant Coach Mike Fearon, #33 Peter Hamilton, #32 Nick Boyd, #8 Donnie Rambo, #34 Kyle Garrett, #23 Mardy Harris, Team Helper Jemen Fearon, Head Coach Elbert Irving III.
Trinity Baptist Church Basketball Team, 2011 OWACA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!
Bottom Row: (Left-to-Right) #11 Maquis Scott, #2 Angelo Watts, #10 Jeffery Barton, #21 Martine Robertson. Top Row: (Left-to-Right) Assistant Coach Robert Thompson, Alvin Tunstill, Jr, Pastor, Assistant Coach Mike Fearon, #32 Nick Boyd, #8 Donnie Rambo (Team MVP), #33 Peter Hamilton (Team Sportsmanship Winner), #23 Mardy Harris, #34 Kyle Garrett, Team Helper Jemen Fearon, Head Coach Elbert Irving III.
Trinity’s Basketball Ministry is committed to the development of our young boys leading them to Christ through sports while demonstrating being a positive role model. Good sportsmanship, teamwork and organized skills are taught, including setting good positive examples.
Finally, our goals are to teach them self respect, responsibility, trust, honesty, communication skills, caring and respecting mankind.
Brother Elbert Irving, III, Head Coach and Assistant Coaches Robert Thompson and Mike Fearon provide the direction for Trinity’s basketball ministry.
If you are interested in becoming a part of Trinity’s basketball ministry as a player, or assistant coach you may contact head coach Elbert Irving at elbert.irving@trinitybaptistchurchofla.org. or he may be reached through the church office at (323) 735-0044.