On the Ground Ypsilanti is an “embedded journalism” program masking town and township of Ypsilanti. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK, the Center for Health and Research Transformation, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Engage @ EMU, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, and Washtenaw ISD.
On Saturday mornings, when many are nonetheless asleep, the Ypsilanti Community High School (YCHS) gymnasium is buzzing with music and power as younger folks ages 5 to 18 run drills as a part of a weekly pace and agility clinic organized by grassroots nonprofit Ypsilanti Community – The Village.
The Village initiative was kicked off by a gaggle of YCHS alumni – together with the nonprofit’s director, Mitchell Long, referred to as “Coach Mitch” to the kids – throughout the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. They felt too many younger folks have been unable to take part in sports and different extracurriculars due to funds and different obstacles.
“We’re providing the clinics and everything for free because, during COVID, a lot of people were going through hardship but they still wanted to give their kids opportunities,” Long says.
When he’s not working programming by means of The Village, he serves as assistant coach for Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS). Long says he is aware of firsthand that “sports are not cheap for kids.”
“There are all kinds of costs for traveling and outfits and everything,” he says, including that even just a few hundred {dollars} for uniforms or touring will be an excessive amount of for a household that’s struggling.
The identify of the nonprofit comes from its collective effort to ensure all kids can thrive. Long says The Village has a “no child left behind” mentality, which is a part of the explanation it’s a co-ed program that serves kids ages 5 to 18. The Village crew desires kids to succeed slightly than being discouraged about making an attempt out for a crew sport once they’ve by no means had an opportunity to apply it but.
“The clinic is available so you can see if you like it. You try a sport, you learn the fundamentals, and then maybe you go and try out for the high school team,” Long says.
The group was integrated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit quickly after formation, and it has regularly expanded its choices. Signature packages embrace the Saturday morning pace and agility coaching, a Quarterback Clinic, and a Big Man Clinic for linemen. But the nonprofit has expanded to add tutoring and cheerleading to its choices as effectively.
“Speed and agility is co-ed, but sometimes it can be intimidating for girls to come around,” Long says. When somebody floated the thought of a cheer clinic, he thought, “Why not?” And when YCS coach Dominique Johnson got here on board, that made it an actual risk.
“It has absolutely been a success, and it is something I might not have otherwise tried,” Long says.
To date, The Village’s packages have solely run by means of the varsity 12 months. But Long is hoping to add extra sports, like swimming and baseball, and preserve the programming going year-round.
“We started with just six kids and a couple of coaches. … It’s expanding now, where I have 30-something people right now on staff for tutoring and all the clinics and everything,” Long says.
The Village is providing all this on a shoestring finances, because the group has no grant funding. Its workers are volunteers, YCS donates its health club house, and Ypsilanti Township donates house and time at its neighborhood middle for tutoring and just lately added basketball programming. Long has attracted a number of different coaches from each the YCS workers and close by communities to run specialty clinics. Among them is legendary University of Michigan coach Fred Jackson, who helped launch a Big Man soccer clinic for The Village.
When Long has requested for house in a health club or a spot to tutor, he says he’s been met with encouragement, particularly for the reason that program is utterly free to contributors.
Tom Jarema, a YCS cross-country and observe coach, helps run The Village’s pace and agility drills on Saturday mornings. He says he noticed an enormous dip in sports participation throughout the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic as anticipated, however numbers haven’t bounced again. The development is even worse for women’ sports, he says.
“Girls’ sports in general at the high school level is really down,” he says.
He says that over the six years he’s been with YCS sports, he’s realized they don’t have as sturdy of a pipeline from center college to highschool as another districts. He says which means The Village is filling a particular want.
“The cool thing is … there’s everything from 8-year-olds to high schoolers out there, and [Long has] got it set up so that they can all find a spot and get better, because even some of the older kids are beginners,” Jarema says.
High college seniors Maurice Shimwell and Kyre Reed have been taking part in The Village’s programming since they have been in seventh grade.
“It’s been an absolute joy having them and seeing how they develop, and the opportunities we’re having on college visits,” Long says of Shimwell and Reed. “And we’re doing it while they’re young, so they trust the process [of working toward playing college ball].”
Shimwell says he’s been coming again to this system principally as a result of “Coach Mitch told me to show up on Saturday morning.” He provides that The Village is “like a family.”
Reed says that when he was in seventh grade, he and a buddy noticed Long at a basketball sport and requested him, “How can you be the next greatest?”
“Coach Mitch told us to start coming to practice every Saturday at 7 a.m.,” Reed says. “I love it here. I like the work and the people that you meet.”
Both seniors have been excited a couple of latest go to to Grand Valley State University courtesy of Long and The Village. Reed says he was being scouted for soccer whereas he was there. Long says he expects them to be scouted on an upcoming go to to one other college as effectively.
Lennard Wornum III’s two teenaged sons have been working pace and agility drills with The Village on a latest Saturday morning within the YCHS health club. He says he initially introduced his sons to this system as a result of Long requested him to, however now his sons “really enjoy coming.”
“They enjoy the camaraderie, the fellowship. They enjoy the hard work and the commitment,” Wornum says. “Coach Mitch has a beautiful vision, and I really appreciate his commitment and consistency. And the best that I can do is show up for him and for my kids.”