Mission Statement:
“Team M’Phasis seeks to enhance the
lives of youth by instilling spiritual qualities and leadership skills, while
giving opportunity through education and sports.”
Background
Team M’Phasis (pronounced emphasis) was
founded in 2004 by William Roberts III. The organization began with a few kids
from a YMCA recreational basketball team. With the plea and help of some of the
parents, Will decided that he wanted to continue his mentorship with the youth
in a deeper, more personal way than simply playing games at the YMCA. While
getting to know the kids, he realized that many of them needed more help in
life than in sports, and he desired to provide them with a role model
relationship that he lacked while growing up in Philadelphia. Since its
inception, Team M’Phasis has continued to grow and impact the lives of many
youth, while also becoming a 501 (c) (3) organization. Today, the organization
has three basketball teams comprising of about 50 youth, 4 coaches, and 7 board
members. Team M’Phasis also has a working partnership with the Boys and Girls
Club of Peoria, a close relationship with Peoria High School, and is a
community partner with the Peoria Police Department. Some of our goals are to
assist youth with their education, develop quality athletes, and most of all
build leadership skills, character, and integrity. Team M’Phasis uses
basketball as a vehicle to help youth be successful in all areas of life, and
the work of the program is done entirely by volunteers who give of their time
5-7 days per week.
Core Values
God First: If there is an inner most
nucleus of Team M’Phasis, this is it. Our faith is why we do what we do within
this program. We desire for our youth to have a healthy understanding of who
God is and to develop their own relationship with Him. We believe that God
should be the top priority in everything we do and should be honored above all
else.
Excellence: We are committed to the
notion of striving for excellence in every area of life. We set high
expectations for our youth and help them to understand that “just getting by”
is not good enough. We want them to develop the self-discipline,
self-motivation, and desire that is imperative to succeed in any endeavor they
pursue.
Leadership: All youth have the capacity
to lead in some way. Our hope is that through Team M’Phasis, our youth will
become effective leaders who can communicate well, act with confidence, make an
impact within their communities and families, and inspire others around them.
Team Work: Success in many aspects of
life requires individuals to work collaboratively with others. The ability to
bring individual strengths to a team, while valuing and respecting the unique
characteristics of others is a necessary life skill. We aim to help prepare our
youth to be a productive member of any group they may find themselves in.
Empowerment: We are passionate about
motivating our youth to dream big and strive toward reaching their goals.
Through our belief in them, we desire for them to develop a strong belief in
themselves. We want them to not only believe that they can achieve anything
they aspire to do, but also to know how to access and utilize appropriate
resources to succeed in their endeavors.
Services
Basketball Skills and Development which includes: ball handling, offensive and
defensive movement, strength and conditioning, and opportunities to showcase
skills in front of college coaches and scouts.
Youth Discussion Groups about tough topics such as: drugs and alcohol,
peer pressure, and personal life issues that youth may have questions or
concerns about.
After-school Tutoring and Mentoring which includes study tables that are offered
before each practice and the availability of certified teachers for after
school tutoring.
Character Building and Educational Opportunities which includes: distribution of helpful
materials/resources, information about college (SAT, ACT, NCAA Clearing House, financial
aid, etc.), guest speakers (e.g. speakers from ASU, Peoria Police Department,
Peoria High School, National Guard), fundraising, and community service (program
members participate in charity work throughout the community to learn the
importance of giving back).
Expectations
To become a part
of Team M’Phasis, all youth must memorize the mission statement.
Once a member of
the program, all youth are required to abide by the “Circle of Excellence”
which includes the following: Keep God first, obey your parents, do your
chores, complete your schoolwork and homework, and all of the responsibilities
that we give you as a program.
All youth are
expected to utilize the life skills that they are learning when communicating
with others. This includes the use of eye contact, a firm handshake, calling if
you will be late or missing a program event, and addressing all issues/concerns
with honesty.
