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This story was originally published by Capital B Gary.

By Rayonna Burton-Jernigan
Capital B Gary
November 21, 2024

The sharp squeak of sneakers echoed through the gym, cutting through the blare of whistles and a buzzing scoreboard at Gary’s Boys and Girls Club. Wesley Danzy hustled up and down the court guiding the young players, their faces alight with wide-eyed determination.

It was opening day for the At All Cost Youth Basketball League, and Danzy’s focus was clear: Every child on the court mattered.

“I’ve always loved the game and the purpose it brings,” he said, pausing to reflect on the countless hours he’s poured into the league.

Danzy, a former high school and college basketball player, founded the youth basketball league to teach kids the fundamentals of the game and life. With a mission to restore a vibrant sports culture in his hometown, the Gary native has built a league where 125 kids — along with a new cheerleading squad — can find an outlet in a city where options for youth are scarce.

“This is something that I have always wanted to do,” he said.

Growing up in Gary, Danzy was steeped in the city’s storied basketball legacy. In 1955, Gary Roosevelt faced Indianapolis’s Crispus Attucks, led by Oscar Robertson, in the first high school championship between two Black teams. The city has since produced a steady lineage of basketball talent, including Dick Barnett, Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, Darius Garland, Angela Hamblin-Blakely, and Dana Evans, leaving its mark on both the NBA and WNBA.

Like many in the city, the West Side alum has a special connection with basketball. His own history with the game dates back to his youth, when he played in “Biddy” youth basketball leagues and continued under the mentorship of legendary coach John Boyd, who led West Side to a state championship in 2002. During his time playing under Boyd, a bond formed between the two that deepened Danzy’s love for the game.

Boyd’s tough-love approach cemented Danzy’s commitment to basketball and inspired him to give back.

“He was more than a coach, but like a father to me,” Danzy reminisced. “I don’t even call him coach — I call him ‘Pops.’”

Under Boyd’s guidance, Danzy flourished, later playing at Kankakee Community College as a guard. But no matter how far basketball took him, he always knew he’d return to Gary to help the next generation.

Building the right team

Wanting to make basketball accessible to all Gary youth, Danzy set out to assemble a team of coaches who shared his passion for the game. Among them was Chris Bond, his godbrother and close friend, who brings a strong basketball pedigree to the league. Bond, a former state champion with Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, went on to play at Ball State University.

Like Danzy, Bond is committed to teaching the fundamentals of the game across generations.

“I think that’s the main thing missing a lot right now,” Bond said. “Kids can play basketball, but you also got to know the fundamentals and have the right skill set,” Bond said. “Everybody’s not gonna be a star player, so you gotta know how to play a role.”

Bond said he finds joy in breaking down the game for young players.

“I like teaching and practice,” he said. “You’re teaching — not just explaining — and breaking it down for them to understand.”

Expanding to new heights

When the At All Cost co-ed league launched in 2023, it drew about 60 kids in its first season. In its second year, participation has more than doubled to 125 players — a growth milestone Danzy hopes is just the beginning.

“My goal is to get bigger and bigger every year,” Danzy said.

This season also marked a significant expansion: the introduction of a cheerleading program. Coach Eran Armstrong, a former competitive cheerleader and dancer, transitioned from basketball to lead the new squad. “I always find my way back to cheer,” she said.

The program, which includes 22 young girls ages 5 to 13, has opened the league to a broader audience beyond basketball. Armstrong sees it as an opportunity to lay the foundation for a competitive team.

“The purpose for this season is for us to learn, adapt and adjust,” she said. “So for next season, we want to increase those numbers and more girls because my ultimate goal for the team is competitive cheer.”

Like Armstrong, Danzy hopes to see the league create opportunities for kids that extend beyond the city.

“Watching a kid come in that never thought they were good, work so hard and become better,” he said. “And to watch a kid like that gain confidence and get a scholarship when they never thought they’d get one.”

A family affair

On game days, the Boys and Girls Club bursts to life. Sunday’s game drew a crowd of parents picking up uniforms, kids darting around, and a concession stand stocked with everything from pickles to fruities to walking tacos.

Even Danzy’s mother was behind the window, taking orders from the long line that mirrored the long entrance line into the gym to watch the game.

Amid the bustle, Danzy kept his focus on what mattered most.

“I make sure every kid plays,” Danzy said. “I make sure every kid touches the ball and make sure every parent gets to see their kid play.”

For many families, the league is more than a game — it’s a chance to come together.

Ariana Clay, a mother of two, has been with the league since its inaugural season. Her eldest son, O’Zion, 8, joined the team first and had a great experience, which inspired her to enroll her younger son, Onyx, 5.

“It gives them something to do other than being out there exploring the negativity in Gary,” she said.

In addition to giving her boys something to do, it allowed her grandmother to get out of the house and support her great-grandchildren. The boys’ father cheered from the back corner of the gym, watching proudly as his sons ran the court.

He wasn’t alone.

Chris Wilcher, who knows Danzy and his journey personally, knew that putting his son Cayden, 9, in the league would help his interest in basketball flourish.

“I trust Wesley,” he said. “I just wanted him to get involved in something good for the city that the youth need.”

A former basketball player himself, Wilcher said he loves that his son is interested in the sport.

“I love to see my son doing something that I grew up loving,” he said. “We can share that bond and be on the court together.”

Rayonna Burton-Jernigan is the Business and Economic Development reporter for Capital B Gary.

Capital B is a local-national nonprofit news organization that centers Black voices, audience needs and experiences, and partners with the communities it serves.