Overtime is better than sudden death.

"Who knows, a kid shot on the streets of Kansas City might have come up with the cure for cancer or someone who could have found a way to prevent the AIDS virus from becoming a death sentence. Who knows, someone who has been senselessly murdered on the streets of Kansas City or in one of our major urban centers could have been president or a senator. I mean, who knows, it's a waste of humanity, and to the degree that we can, we all must commit ourselves to reversing that escalating trend of young people dying primarily at the hands of other young people."

The slogan "Overtime is Better than Sudden Death" stretches across the gym walls in five Kansas City Night Hoops locations reinforcing the recreation as prevention philosophy prevalent in so many urban centers today. In a world where connecting with youth is increasingly difficult, sports -- basketball among the most popular -- have become tools for reaching at-risk youth. In Kansas City, the Mayor's Night Hoops program is about more than basketball. It's about people coming together to develop skills, interact and have fun. While Night Hoops is not a panacea for preventing crime, it is one of the many successful efforts that relate to youth in a positive manner. Although there is much to be gained from playing basketball -- building relationships, learning teamwork and breaking down barriers -- the Mayor's Night Hoops program takes matters a step further by changing the negative images and conditioning that are part of daily life for many at-risk youth.

The program is designed to meet youth in high-risk environments where they are, then expose them to new information and experiences. The lives of thousands of young people have been transformed through their relationships with coaches, caring adults and members of their community. Just imagine a young person who starts out learning more about life through his or her association with Night Hoops instructors, volunteers, coaches, and staff at age 10. By adulthood, this person will have interacted with thousands of people and been introduced to hundreds of new and positive experiences. Kansas City Hoops youth have already benefited from experiences that include meeting the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and traveling to other parts of the city to meet their peers.

Background: After the unrest in Los Angeles, in 1992, Kansas City Mayor Emanuel Cleaver, II enlisted the help of recreation experts to develop a Night Hoops program for his city. Combining their knowledge and experience, the Mayor, Parks and Recreation Commission President Ollie Gates, Recreation Director Terry Dopson, Recreation Superintendent Nathaniel Wilkins, and other concerned citizens, created a wholesome, secure, night-time, summer activity for youth.

Approximately 160 young people participated in the program's initial year. Since then, many new and exciting changes have taken place. The program has expanded to five sites, serving more than 1,500 youth -- male and female -- last year. Two additional age groups -- 10 to 12 and 13 to 15 were added, along with a new sport, volleyball.

With success comes external support. As the program's reputation for results spread, community leaders began to notice and become involved. Local businesses, community leaders and volunteers formed the Friends of Mayor's Night Hoops, a formal support organization, to assist the program. The Friends provide financial support and volunteer labor, in addition to spreading the word and generating more community enthusiasm.

The majority of the Night Hoops program (80%) is funded by the City Parks and Recreation Department. The remaining 20% is made up by private donations and grant funding from the State of Missouri Department of Public Safety. Long-range planning is currently underway to seek funding for expansion of the program to a year-round operation that will allow better tracking of participant development.

An Education in Hoops

While getting the kids off the streets is the most urgent objective, education and life learning have been the root of the Mayor's program. This non-traditional education component encourages academic excellence, employment skills, personal development, self esteem, conflict resolution, health awareness, and substance abuse prevention. By offering this component to hoops participants and spectators, the program reaches -- and provides a safe evening activity for -- more youth.

The constant challenge, however, is to continue to make the educational component relevant and fun while ensuring that the players and spectators remain involved. To help foster long-term involvement, youth participants are given an identification card that must be punched every time they attend an education/life learning program or event. Recreation staff check the cards prior to game time to ensure that players and spectators have met the weekly learning requirements. Youth are also given prizes and awards during each session to encourage participation.

The guiding thought behind Night Hoops is that when you motivate youth toward their talents, skills and abilities, they will be too busy realizing them to be involved in negative activities. So far, the philosophy has proven to be true. The Kansas City police report an overall 25% decrease in crime since the program began. This, of course, does not suggest that all of the Night Hoops participants are criminals; only that the program creates an environment that is not conducive to crime. Other cities who run hoops programs report similar results.

Furthering the Philosophy

As an extension of Mayor's Night Hoops, the Recreation Commission implemented the Mayor's Urban Symposium and Tournament (MUST) in 1995. As a national component, MUST brings midnight basketball teams from across the country to Kansas City to compete and learn. For the past two years, players, city officials and community leaders from 12 cities have attended MUST. Last year, 12 men's and four women's team -- ranging in age from 15 to 22 -- participated in the tournament. Participating cities included: Danville (IL), Omaha (NE), Lima (OH), Newark (NJ), St. Louis (MO), Des Moines (IA), Little Rock (AR), Denver (CO), Philadelphia (PA), and Topeka (KS).

In addition to basketball, and in keeping with the educational theme, MUST participants attended workshops and seminars designed with their interests in mind. Last year, more than 180 youth from across the country attended workshops focusing on self esteem and a positive mental attitude; preparing for college; communicating effectively; developing life, career and entrepreneurial skills; and dealing with urban issues. Some highlighted workshop speakers have included: "Hoop Dreams" star William Gates, former professional women's basketball player Paula McGee and the nation's winningest college basketball coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines.

In addition to receiving national and local awards, the Mayor's Night Hoops and MUST have been featured in Sports Illustrated, YES (Youth Excited about Success) and SLAM Magazines. Mayor Cleaver received an award for his evangelic support of the Night Hoops program at NRPA's annual Congress for Recreation and Parks this past October.

As this program -- and similar programs in other cities -- grows, youth crime and deliquency diminish. It's a simple philosophy with simple resuts, and another example of how recreation programs can play a significant role in prevention.