YMCA Boys Basketball builds friendships and camaraderie

This story is part of a series created to elevate the voices of young people in collaboration with the Blue Water Area YMCA. These stories are based on listening sessions at the Y and are independently reported by The Keel with assistance from the YMCA.

Many boys involved in the Blue Water YMCA’s Voices of Youth say their favorite activity is basketball. For them, it symbolizes friendship and the ability to get to know their fellow youth.

“I like to play basketball. There is nothing to do in Port Huron, and I can hang out with my friends,” says Caidan Lomyrd, 14, from Central Middle School.

Donovon Schooler, Youth Sports Coordinator at the YMCA, oversees the boys basketball program and is responsible for creating and staffing the youth programs. He grew up in Port Huron and moved back to the city in 2023. 

“My inspiration to eventually become a coordinator came from my oldest child when he decided to try out for basketball at the YMCA,” Schooler says. “I really wanted to help make this program grow.”

How Basketball Impacts Youth

Basketball is a fantastic way for young people to spend time with friends, Schooler says. He also feels it builds camaraderie, teaches them self-control, and enhances their lifestyle. 

“I believe that playing basketball impacts youths’ lives by teaching them teamwork, work ethic, accountability, handling pressure, and goal setting. I think most players gain more self-control, patience, understanding, and compassion from playing regularly,” Schooler says.

Henry Wydell, the boys basketball coach at Warren Lincoln High School, which won the Region 2 Division State Championship, adds, “Basketball helps the youth to learn how to work hard and be disciplined. They gain friendship and structure.”

But that doesn’t come without challenges. Schooler says producing practice times that work with all the boys and organizing teams according to their preferences can be hard. Others he encounters are coordinating the games each week and having the funds to run them.

Wydell has found his biggest challenge is keeping his boys focused and blocking out the negativity in their lives. 

“To win the division championship, there was a lot of hard work, long days of grinding, and having to take some losses our first few years till we learned how to win,” Wydell says.

The boys also expressed how important family is to them. Isaiah Diukius, 15, from Central Middle School, admires his grandma and mom, while Brayden Woron, 14, from Central Middle School, looks up to his father. Having family to support their dreams is instrumental in the boys’ success. 

“Family is one’s foundation of support, so it impacts the athlete by providing encouragement, confidence, and support. Families teach work ethic, humility, and discipline, which transitions to their own on-court behavior,” Schooler says. 

Keeping the Momentum Going

Schooler recommends that boys cultivate their interest in basketball by joining a league such as the one at the YMCA or by playing at school, in the park, or at home. The cost to pay is low; all they need is a basketball. 

Many of the boys are also inspired to play basketball by NBA professional players. When asked what he wanted to do after college, Diukius says, “I want to play for the NBA after high school.” 

Schooler believes that when youth see NBA players with similar backgrounds to their own succeed, they become more optimistic about their futures. Many of the youth who play for Schooler and Wydell come from single-parent families who do not have much money or time for extracurricular activities. Basketball serves as a motivator that encourages the youth to work harder in school. 

“It gives the boys hope that with hard work and dedication, they could get to the NBA too,” Schooler says. 

And for Wydell, seeing the young boys head to college and become men is what makes it all worth it.

To sign up for basketball at the YMCA, visit https://www.bluewaterymca.com/programs/youth-fitness/sports-recreation.