Inside Story Follows Skyline Basketball Helping Elementary Kids With Their Vision Boards

DESPITE A VALIANT EFFORT ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, IT JUST WASN’T SKYLINE’S YEAR. THE RAIDERS FELL A GAME SHORT OF THE POST SEASON AND INSTEAD OF GETTING READY FOR A PLAYOFF RUN, THEY SPENT LAST SATURDAY PACKING UP AND LISTENING TO SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM HEAD COACH PAUL GRAHAM.

WITH IT BEING THE LAST DAYS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, GRAHAM’S SPEECH DIDN’T PERTAIN TO THE HARDWOOD, BUT INSTEAD….LIFE.

GRAHAM DEALT WITH SEGREGATION ON A DAILY BASIS GROWING UP AS KID IN KANSAS CITY IN THE 50’S AND 60’S. IT WAS A KIND OF DISCRIMINATION HIS TEAM HAS NEVER SEEN. TODAY HE PREACHES PERSEVERANCE…...PUSHING THROUGH DESPITE WHAT OBSTACLES MIGHT COME ONE’S WAY.

PAUL GRAHAM HAS HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A COACH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE LEVEL. BUT IT DIDN’T COME EASILY. HE WAS DENIED JOBS BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN. TODAY, HE WANTS HIS TEAM TO PUSH FORWARD AND BECOME LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO HE SET UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIS KIDS TO GIVE BACK.

THE RAIDERS HEADED OVER TO THE SKYLINE BRANCH OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY. WHAT WAS WAITING FOR THEM WERE SEVERAL ELEMENTARY KIDS CREATING VISION BOARDS, DESIGNING A DREAM FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THE RAIDERS TEAM. THE NORTH TEXAS HONDA DEALERS GUYS, WERE ON HAND TO HELP GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT WAS A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT TO BE STRONG ROLE MODELS TO KIDS THAT MAY HAVE NEEDED SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO - MUCH LIKE COACH GRAHAM DID WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP.