MR. PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY GAME OF "HOOPS"?
By Dr. Charles J. O'Malley Ph.D.
During recent trips to shopping malls, I've noticed that vendors are selling T-shirts stating that basketball is all there is to life. My wife has had to constrain me from buying their entire stocks. Having been a "hoops" zealot, fanatic, aficionado and coach (junior high, high school, college and military) for many years, and having been discriminated against during my playing years because I was "short, but slow", I am fascinated by the debate swirling around the midnight basketball provisions contained in the Clinton Administration's crime bill.
Personally, I believe in the midnight basketball concept. I believe playing basketball (as well as other sports) assists young men and women to learn how to work together, how to win gracefully and to lose graciously. I also believe that basketball played a major role in integrating a number of private and church-related schools in the South.
However, despite my love for the game and my regard for the benefits accruing to its participants, I find it difficult to agree with the movement to federally fund (and ultimately control, even though the federal funding is minimal) midnight basketball. Reebok dollars? Yes! Nike dollars? Yes! local and corporate sponsors? Yes! Volunteer effort? Yes! (I recall the Reagan White House "jawboning" and armtwisting some major corporations in a northern city, "encouraging" them to "donate" buildings to minority-owned businesses and Historic Black Colleges.) I find it more difficult to agree with the federal funding of midnight basketball when I read provisions of the recently-enacted GOALS 2000 legislation which apparently implement certain sections of the crime bill. Did you know that Congress created a federal advisory committee to be named by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development consisting of representatives of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Did you know that federal statute determines how many players are assigned to each team, what time the games must be held, and, essentially, the racial, socio-economic, and health status of the participants? If you think I'm exaggerating, read the following excerpts from Part D, Section 1501 (pgs.H1664-65, Congressional Record, March 21, 1994). (REMEMBER, THIS IS NEW FEDERAL LAW!!!)
"(4) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—Each eligible entity receiving a grant under paragraph (1)(A) shall establish a midnight basketball league program as follows:
"(A) The program shall establish a basketball league of not less than 8 teams having 10 players each.
"(B) Not less than 50 percent of the players in the basketball league shall be residents of federally assisted low-income housing for members of low-income families (as such team is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1917).
"© The program shall be designed to serve primarily youths and young adults from a neighborhood or community whose population has not less than 2 of the following characteristics (in comparison with national averages):
"(i) A substantial problem regarding use or sale of illegal drugs.
"(ii) A high incidence of crimes committed by youths or young adults.
"(iii) A high incidence of persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus or sexually transmitted diseases.
"(iv) A high incidence of pregnancy or a high birth rate among adolescents.
"(F) The majority of the basketball games of the league shall be held between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. at a location in the neighborhood or community served by the program.
"(H) The program shall comply with any criteria established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Committee established under paragraph (9)
"(9) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall appoint an Advisory Committee to assist the Secretary in providing grants under this subsection. The Advisory Committee shall be composed of not more than 7 members, as follows:
"(A) Not less than 2 individuals who are involved in managing or administering midnight basketball programs that the Secretary determines have been successful and effective. Such individuals may not be involved in a program assisted under this subsection or a member or employee of an eligible advisory entity that receives a technical assistance grant under paragraph (1)(B).
"(B) A representative of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services...
"(D) A representative of the Department of Health and Human Services...
Seem like we've gone a long way from "a little two-on-two, winner-hold court" pickup basketball games. And I used to have difficulty dealing with referees when I was playing and coaching! Now, I'd probably wind up before a federal appeals court (would a technical foul be a federal offense?). Perhaps I can lobby for Congress to add "short-but-slow" to the list of participating classes. Perhaps I could get federal funding for instruction on free-throw shooting, so I can get to play. Perhaps...
Dr. Charles J. O'Malley, of Charles J. O'Malley & Associates, Inc.,
Is the Executive Director of the The National Council for Private School Accreditation.
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
(410) 349-0139The National Council for Private School Accreditation is dedicated to the accreditation process as a viable and responsible means of establishing witness of school excellence. NCPSA is committed to accreditation based on the concept of voluntary peer recognition; that is, the principle that institutions sharing common purposes and distinctives are better able to assist one another in achieving academic excellence and responsiveness to their respective publics and nation.