Indy coach aims to change communities through sports
Over the years, especially in Indianapolis, community leaders have looked toward youth sports as a way to keep young people engaged and connected.
According to Project Play 2024, 60% of children nationwide participate in youth sports, underscoring the important role athletics play in young lives. At the same time, Marion County continues to face challenges involving youth violence.
Per the World Health Organization (WHO), youth homicides have dropped from a recent high of 44% down to 17% in recent years, nonfatal shootings among teens rose by 7%, and an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 children and teens are in juvenile detention on any given day. These statistics have led many community organizations to invest in sports programs that provide mentorship, teamwork and safe spaces for youth.
Derrick Miller, park manager at the Frederick Douglass Park and Family Center, shared his perspective on the challenges facing youth and what he is doing to support young athletes.
Miller said it is important for young people to have a safe place.
“I believe before a young person can grow academically, emotionally, spiritually, or socially, they must first know they are in an environment where they are seen, valued, heard and protected,” Miller said.
He recognizes that many young people are dealing with challenges, many of which can go unseen.
“Through my mentoring company, Operation Balm, and the young people I serve at Frederick Douglass Park, I see many youth who carry invisible wounds from trauma, violence and rejection without a safe space, those wounds often surface as anger anxiety, depression, isolation and poor decision making.”
Miller found his zeal for helping young people in his late teenage years.
“I discovered my passion for working with young people around 18 years old,” Miller said. “While in college my heart began to burn for community outreach when I connected with a group who were doing ministry outreach at Laurel Wood Apartments and from then on I found myself working at a community center, establishing a college tour program that impacted over 400 youth.”
Despite the obstacles that many young people face, Miller shared a message of encouragement.
“To every young person who’s searching for a place to belong: Don’t settle for acceptance that come with pressure to become someone you’re not. Whether it’s through sports, music, school, church or mentoring, find people who challenge you to grow, celebrate your victories, stand by you in your struggles, and remind you that your life has purpose.”
According to Miller, the right community won’t just change your circumstances, it can change your future.
For more information about Operation Balm, visit operationbalm.org.
Indianapolis Recorder Intern Mckenzie Yeakey is an aspiring high school journalist and hopes to attend Morgan State University.
