Morehouse Basketball Team Visits Atlanta YDC

On December 12, the Morehouse College Basketball Team visited the Atlanta Youth Development Campus (YDC) to take part in DJJ’s Office of Chaplaincy Services’ upcoming program “Faith and Fitness.” Head Basketball Coach Grady Brewer served as the guest speaker. Coach Brewer shared his story of faith with DJJ youths and how he incorporates it in his coaching career. He stressed to the youth to “stay positive, stay focused and remember there is something better for you out there.” Several Morehouse players also shared words of encouragement with the youth.

After a warm-up, youths played a friendly basketball game with the “Maroon Tigers.” Laughter and cheers were continuously heard from the youth, players and staff members throughout the game. The score was close and afterwards, players from both sides shook hands and exchanged hugs.

“I think this was a wonderful experience for both parties involved. I think it does just as much for our guys as it does for the youth housed here. Hopefully, we can spur someone who was on the wrong path to get on the right path and do the right thing,” said Coach Brewer. “We want to come back again to do this and continue this relationship with these young men, because we are only as good as our future and our youth are our future.”

Coach Brewer has supported DJJ youth since 2001. He has hosted many DJJ youth who are on community supervision at several Morehouse basketball games. He also has spent countless hours mentoring wayward youth at the former DeKalb Multi-Service Center as well as supporting basketball programs at Milledgeville YDC.

Chaplain Yolanda Thompson, who organized the event, credited Atlanta YDC Director Jimmie Hooks and his staff and Georgia Preparatory Academy Principal Dr. Michael McKnight for working with the Office of Chaplaincy Services, to plan this event. She said, “The Director of Chaplaincy Services (Chaplain Danny Horne) has charged me to recruit more faith leaders who can impact the spiritual development of our youth. Coach Grady Brewer and the Morehouse basketball team definitely belong in this category. It’s been an exciting and inspiring experience for all of us; one that has not only touched youth but those of us who cheer on the youth to succeed every day.”  

The goal of “Faith and Fitness” is to help incarcerated DJJ youth bridge the gap between spirituality, prayer, meditation, character values and personal interests like basketball. DJJ and the Office of Chaplaincy Services look forward to continuing faith-based programming and community partnerships to better serve DJJ youth – both in facilities and in the community.