Roosevelt Island Community Outreach Basketball Game Between Public Safety Department And Youth Program - Great Initiative, But Where Was The Rest Of The Community?

Pre Game Pep Talk By Chief Guerra (holding Basketball)To Both Blue & Grey Teams

Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Director Keith Guerra reports:

On Thursday, November 11th, the Public Safety Department and the Youth Center hosted it's 2nd Annual Connect  Basketball Game.  The game was held at the Roosevelt Island Sportspark Complex and featured some of the neighborhood's most talented ball players.  Players from the PSD merged with those from the community to play a very balanced and exciting game.  The Gray team was victorious by a score of 62-59 over the Blue Team.

Many thanks to Charlie and Steve from the Youth Center for their involvement.  Thanks also go out to Millie Reyes, our Crossing Guard and Michelle Williams, our Youth Officer for distributing the much needed refreshments.

Mr. DeFino Standing On Far Right Next To Chief Guerra

Roosevelt Island Youth Program Director Charlie DeFino adds:

Once again the Roosevelt Island Youth Program and Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department collaborated by bringing young adults, youth center staff and public safety officers to attend our second special get to know each other basketball game at Sportspark on Thursday November 11th followed by some good old fashioned getting to know each other over refreshments and food provided by RIOC.

This program will be on-going and will evolve to other areas outside of basketball to continue it's mission of "Connecting" the community, public safety and youth center.

The Community Outreach Basketball Game was originally intended to be played between members of the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department and parents from the Roosevelt Island Youth Center. I think when the parents realized the game was going to be played full court

 

 Grey Team Taking Ball Up The Full Length Of Court

instead of half-court they had second thoughts about making that long run up and down the floor and decided to let the kids play instead.

The game was well played with some great shots made

 

 

and jockeying for position to get some tough under the board rebounds

 

 

which sometimes resulted in a trip to the foul line.

 

At the final buzzer the Grey Team won 62 -59 over the Blue team, the players lined up to shake hands and congratulate each other on a well played game.

 

Good job by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department and Roosevelt Island Youth Program in helping to establish relationships between their members. Also, I was pleased to see RIOC VP Of Operations Fernando Martinez at the game lending his support to the community outreach initiative. This can only help our community.

I did find it concerning that there was not much of a showing of Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) delegates or other members of the public present to root on the players and support this joint initiative by the Public Safety Department and Youth Program to better relationships in our community. I often hear complaints at RIRA meetings that the Public Safety Department only gets involved with members of the community in an enforcement capacity and does not engage on a positive basis with Roosevelt Island young people. Well, in this instance the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department, Roosevelt Island Youth Program and those who played in the basketball game stepped up to help improve our community. RIRA and the complainers did not.

Perhaps the new RIRA Common Council Delegates and other members of the public were not aware of this event. Hopefully, they will be for the next Community Connecting event.