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Basketball Brings Area Together For Revival

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By NICK WILLIAMS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 19, 2008

Updated: 07/19/2008 12:14 am

CITRUS PARK - It didn't take long for Nick Valentine to notice the despair after moving in to this community.

It had been less than a year since 13-year-old Stephen Tomlinson was killed in Park No. 3 inside Logan Gate Village.

The park had become a ghost town and was frequently vandalized with graffiti.

Valentine, 25, moved in to the neighborhood in 2006 and said attempts to play pickup basketball with family and friends on the only court were thwarted by ruffians who claimed the area as their turf.

The situation didn't sit well with Valentine.

"There wasn't anything going on in the neighborhood," he said. "There were certain situations of kids just hanging out, not doing anything productive. We were raised to believe it takes a village to raise a family."

Determined to bring the youth in the community together, he decided the best way was through basketball, even though the Leto High grad, husband and father of three had never played organized basketball.

The first tournament was a success and resulted in dozens of basketball enthusiasts turning out for the tournaments, which take place every other month.

Today, the location of Tomlinson's death in December 2005 is the site of a community event that represents togetherness, activity and inspiration.

It has taken on even more emotion as Joshua Rosa, a youth minister from the neighborhood, has been on trial this week on a first-degree murder charge in Tomlinson's death. The jury hearing the case is scheduled to resume its deliberations on a verdict Monday.

Getting Started

With his younger brother, Shawn, Valentine posted fliers in the neighborhood to advertise the first tournament. He soon discovered his methods didn't sit well with the homeowners association.

Aileen Henderson, the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Youth Coordinator, was contacted by the association and in turn instructed Valentine on the proper ways to organize the tournament.

"His heart was in the right place," Henderson said. "But he got on task immediately."

Valentine abided by every legal rule Henderson put forth. He also earned an endorsement from the homeowners association.

With $1,500 of his money, Valentine, a former marketing and advertising manager and now stay-at-home dad, paid for insurance, tents, chairs and basketballs. Local businesses donated products and after weeks of planning, the first tournament was a success. Nearly 150 basketball players were present.

These days, the park's tournaments are packed with patrons, who engulf the small court to catch the action while others gather under tents to enjoy food and entertainment. Valentine said the majority of costs for tournaments are paid with entry fees.

"I've personally been there and I was quite impressed with the atmosphere," Henderson said. "It wasn't a teen event, or young adult event, it was a family event. I felt comfortable bringing my 3-year-old there."

All ages can participate, but it has become a success with local teenagers. E.J. Alvarez, 17, a rising senior at Alonso High School, was a friend of Tomlinson. He said after Tomlinson's death, he was reluctant to play at the park but has since become immersed in the tournaments.

"Every tournament has gotten bigger and bigger," Alvarez said. "People show more respect for what we're doing. Now they see we're trying to help the youth. My mom likes it because it gives me something to do. My family always comes out."

Former Jefferson High quarterback Stephen Garcia, now attending the University of South Carolina, has participated along with numerous high school athletes from the area.

"Nobody wanted to play here," said Shawn Valentine, 18, Nick's younger brother and co-organizer of the tournaments. "Now people feel it's a brighter day."

Making A Difference

Since starting the tournament, Valentine has bonded with neighborhood kids, giving them a newfound positive outlet. Graffiti is almost nonexistent.

"We had an incident where an individual or a group of individuals were tagging the power transformers," said Don Hardy, president of the Logan Gate Village Homeowners Association. "It was so frequent we were having trouble keeping up with it. As soon as these tournaments started, our problems with graffiti ceased."

"For the teens, I think it's been helpful," Hardy said. "People don't do negative things when positive things are going on. The bad people tend to go into hiding."

At the next tournament, Valentine plans to honor and raise money for the family of John Camacho, a 16-year-old Logan Gate Village resident who died in April after suffering severe injuries in a car accident. Valentine said Camacho, who would have turned 17 this past Tuesday, frequently played in the tournaments.

In the center of the single basketball court, the words "Lil John" are spray-painted on the concrete.

A neighborhood parent wrote a letter to a local television station detailing Valentine's influence on the community. Valentine has framed the letter as a reminder that he has made a difference.

"Everyone knows each other more," he said.

The negative reputation looming over the park has slowly disappeared, but Valentine said there is more that can be done.

"I believe everybody has a responsibility to the people we live around," he said. "Instead of saying we need more cops or more security, if we did more things that were positive, the community would take more pride in where they live."

For more information on the tournament, visit www.faceoffstreetball.com.

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 865-4848 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com.

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