MAN CAVE: Give and Go Athletics is "bigger than basketball"

Andre Wright, executive director of Give and Go Athletics, made a deal with one of his star athletes going into the playoffs: Pass an upcoming test, or lose the chance to play in a big game. Unfortunately, the test was not passed. Wright could have looked the other way and nobody would have known. But he wants the students in his program to know that Give and Go is bigger than basketball.

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MAN CAVE: Give and Go Athletics is "bigger than basketball"

POSTED: Monday, November 7, 2011, 2:00 PM

Filed Under: Man Cave

Man Cave is a testosterone-dripping Monday feature that highlights the weekend haps of a pop culture-loving Philly dude.

Andre Wright, executive director of Give and Go Athletics (GGA), made a deal with one of his star athletes: Pass an upcoming school test, or lose the chance to play in a big game. Unfortunately, the test was not passed. Wright could have looked the other way and nobody would have known. But he wants the students in his program to know that Give and Go is bigger than basketball. Unfortunately, they lost the game and were out of the playoffs. But while the team may have lost, the community won.

This Saturday, I enjoyed a luncheon at Dave and Busters to benefit the program, which currently serves about 70 youths through North, South and West Philadelphia. GGA teaches fundamental basketball skills and provides kids with opportunities to play in leagues, tournaments and other after-school competitions. Founded in 2009 by Wright, who's also a guidance counselor at Ferguson Elementary, and Patricia Palermo, a clinical counselor at Reynolds Elementary, GGA encourages team-building, character development, goal-setting, academic accountability, anger management and social-skills building through basketball and mentorship.

"In addition to the basketball competition, team members attend mentoring from GGA staff where youth will participate in a 'Weekly Check-in'," says Wright. "They are asked to share how they feel, what their goals for the week are and who can help them meet their goals. These meetings encourage self-reflection, personal goal setting, and reinforce positive peer-interaction."

The non-profit group is currently asking for donations to help buy vans so a larger number of students in their program can travel to tournaments held at the Athletic Recreation Center on 26th and Master and the 23rd Police Athletic League on 23rd and Montgomery.

To throw support their way, visit giveandgoathletics.com or their page on Facebook.

(ryan.carey@citypaper.net) (@slackerDIYtoday)

Photo by Ryan Carey

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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