Coach Carter and St. Agnes Basketball

In the movie Coach Carter, a new coach takes over a high school basketball team that is filled with a troubled and misguided youths, but also immense basketball talent.  The movie describes how one coach was able to instill a sense of pride and responsibility in his players, all while teaching them what it means to be part of a team, to have a strong work ethic, and to win.  But the movie is about more than just some inner-city team that becomes great at basketball.  Coach Carter prepares them for what's ahead, whether that's college, the military, or the work force.  Through his unique coaching and teaching style, Coach Carter is able to foster their gifts and talents, while teaching them valuable life lessons.  He teaches them what it means to be reliable, courageous, and strong in a world that is filled with temptation, violence, and hate.  Through the tutelage of Mr. Carter, these boys become men.

My service project was more than just teaching twelve second and third graders how to shoot, pass, and dribble.  The service I did was about instilling values that can be used for the rest of their lives.  It was about creating a foundation which will be built upon for years to come by their future coaches, teachers and mentors.  One day, these twelve second and third graders will become the leaders of our future, and in some way, I'd like to think that I helped create a sense of pride and confidence in all of them.  I think that I was able to teach them about reliability, courage, and strength in a world that will constantly test them as they grow up...

Service as Life Experience

Service to others is important as a life experience because it teaches us so many things about ourselves and others.  Serving the poor, vulnerable, and less fortunate population of our communities allows us to...

Important for the Common Good

The experiences I had coaching at St. Agnes is important for the Common Good of society in many ways...

Human Dignity

Human dignity is the quality of being worthy of respect and esteem.  By its definition, each of us have been created in God's image and therefore have incalculable worth and value simply by being human.  I think it's very clear that St. Agnes' CYO Basketball program promoted this concept of human dignity, as it was witnessed on a day to day basis.  One specific example occurred when...