WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Taking Back Our Neighborhoods: MYSA team

Taking Back Our Neighborhoods: MYSA team

By Howard Ballou  - bio | email | twitter

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) – This Taking Back Our Neighborhoods report may look like a sports story, but it's much more, not only for the children who live around Leavell Woods Park in South Jackson, but for the coaches, the parents and an entire community.

The South Jackson Cowboys are doing battle with the West Jackson Broncos, and these eight year olds mean business in this pre-season scrimmage. 

Both teams are part of the Mississippi Youth Sports Association.  Eric Barbour started the Cowboys team four years ago in South Jackson.  He's been involved with youth sports for 20 years now, but Barbour said his motivation here is much more than the game. 

"A whole lot more. We teach them to be productive kids, and we teach them more than football. The grades, the attitude. Everything comes before football," he said.

Eighty kids, including cheerleaders, are in Barbour's program.  It costs $30 to play, and not all the children can afford it. Many are from single parent homes, but that doesn't mean they don't play. 

"Sponsors are limited due to the economy, so we do a lot of fundraisers and try to help the kids that normally couldn't afford to pay for it," said Barbour.  "So we do car washes, raffles, like we have concession stands at our scrimmage games." 

Zundra Bateaste Sutton found out about the program through a friend who's child aged out. 

"And we got out here; we saw that it was really structured, and after we saw the structure and how they kept them doing something Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, all the way through, we started sometime back in May and didn't end until November, and it was really good," said Sutton.  "It kept the kids, like, on track as far as they had to learn how to manage doing their school work and then continue on with the program as well." 

Everything is volunteer with Barbour's South Jackson Cowboys.  There is no pay.  There's also no smoking, no cussing, and there is mandatory prayer before leaving the field. 

Asked how he sees his program as a way to take back neighborhoods in South Jackson, Barbour said, "Well, like I said, it keep kids out of trouble.  It gives them something to do.  It keeps them going and gives them a feeling they're part of something." 

Barbour continued, "I love it!  I've been doing it for years.  This is something that I dreamed of. From where I grew up as a kid, I had people to mentor me, and I said why not give back to the kids like somebody gave to me." 

"One day maybe the NFL, one day maybe a doctor or lawyer or newscaster like yourself, so we want them to know we got a positive place for them to come, so they can have fun and enjoy themselves," said Barbour.  "Also meet new kids, get along with everybody, just having a great time."

By the way, the South Jackson Cowboys won one out of three of their scrimmages with the West Jackson Broncos. 

We would like to help you take back your neighborhood, and if you've already turned your community around, we want to know how you did it. Send an email to hballou@wlbt.com.

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