This writer has never been a person to make any gripes about the surroundings around him.
Even though he doesn't have a car, what keeps this writer going is his strong belief. During an interview with editor Tammy Proctor two years ago, he said that even though he doesn't have a car, he “will make every effort needed to do what has to be done.”
It is a mantra that has served dividends in riding SARTA buses to game venues and taking a taxi back to Canton. Heck, this writer attended Mount Union College and graduated in five years, riding via bus to classes for five years. Even today, the dividends were validated once again after a Taa'leem service at Masjid Al-Rahman, where as a Muslim, he attends the Sunday class and Jumuah service on Friday (Friday prayers). This man asked one of his Islamic brethren for a ride to North Canton for the second day of the Mercy Medical Center basketball classic and that he would reimburse him and walk halfway to Hoover High School.
Brother Rashid said to this writer that he would and I didn't “have to reimburse him.” Even though he uses money from a taxi to return to Canton, one lesson learned that in Islam is that you never put a price on a person no matter the situation. That is something this 27-year-old learned immensely from his mother and being around other Muslims. And other persons from respective religious backgrounds. It is said that you can buy anything with money but there is one thing money will never buy: friendship.
Everyone is aware of the Mercy Medical Center classic that is in it's seventh year, on the weekend of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King. Now this writer is aware of the struggles that King faced in his life and at some point, we all struggle. However, if you are true to yourself and overcome the surroundings, there is not a disadvantage. Mr. King faced many disadvantages but it is as if he didn't have any in part to his work ethic and commitment that made him of one many crusaders of civil rights in today's society.
ACCOUNTABILITY LEADS TO RESPONSIBILITY
In three years at The Suburbanite, this writer has seen three head coaches get fiercely aggressive with playcalling when their teams are on a run. No one shows that aggression more than Lake head coach Tom McBride, Jackson head coach Mike Fuline and North Canton Hoover head coach Randy Montgomery.
You can add Youngstown Ursuline head coach Keith Gunther to that list. A head coach and family man who holds his players accountable at all times, he doesn't hesitate to voice his praise and displeasure to his Irish basketball team when needed.
Despite his team being one of three Catholic schools in the classic, he was the lone African-American head coach. Having a team featuring six black and five caucasian players, Gunther practices what he coaches.
“I hold my players accountable not just on the court but off the court as well too regardless of color. Martin Luther King gave me an opportunity to be a head coach at a Catholic school and this wouldn't be possible back in the 60's or the 70's,” the charismatic seventh-year head coach said.
It is easy for anyone to draw the assumption that Gunther is a hot-headed head coach whenever he comes down on a player. During one possession, he was seen admonishing two players, a minority and an non-minority during a botched possession against Dover.
Hot-headed? Not a chance. Fiercely aggressive? Yes. But his players are better for it.
“I do my job with integrity. You do everything with integrity like Martin Luther King did. And he is the reason why I am in the profession I am in today,” Gunther said.
PLAYERS FITTING IN ON TEAMS
Dover and Minerva are two high schools with dominantly caucasian players. The last time this 2006 graduate of Mount Union College watched a Dover basketball game, it was against Massillon.
This writer was aware that Dover has had minority players. However, during Minerva's contest against Garaway, a sight caused this man to think again.
Did he just see an African-American on the team? Damien Elifritz is a senior on the Lions basketball team coached by Pepper Locke, who at one time was the girls basketball head coach. Earlier, this writer wrote about how two former North Canton Hoover baseball standouts and a former Minerva Lady Lions guard changed my thoughts about persons from other high schools and taught me it's not about your color, who you are or where you come from.
Again, Mr. King if he were alive will have been pleased with the 20 teams in the tournament and the first-class success of everyone involved in the Mercy Medical Center basketball classic. This writer had every reason to be proud of today, from starting with today's Islamic service to today's basketball extravaganza.
And it just doesn't end at Mr. King. There are other African-Americans who have made their mark in promoting diversity not just on the basketball court but in social life as well.
This writer has never made gripes about anything. Nor does he look at anything as a disadvantage. Anything is an advantage if you strive to make it an advantage. And that is what happened on a blessed weekend of high school basketball.
And this writer could not be any happier.
