It has always been the goal of Blue note to be more integrated with our local community. Just as blues is more than just the notes and chord progressions or the movements, the community should be about more than just going to a social once a month or taking the occasional lesson. This is why we share history and music, encourage you to support our local musicians, invite you to performances by the Black Storytellers of San Diego, and why our 2nd anniversary party is a fundraiser.
We reached out to Stephen Pierce of the Stephen Pierce Foundation because we wanted the funds to make an impact here in San Diego. Steve connected us with Coach Joey Garcia of Team San Diego Basketball, who will be the beneficiary of this fundraiser.
As we sat down with Joey at Grant’s Marketplace in South Park, he told us of his motivations and why his basketball program is the best in San Diego.
Team San Diego trains kids as young as 8 years old and as old as 13. Every athlete in Team San Diego is talented. However, talent is not enough to succeed in the program. All youth are coached by high school level coaches and at high school level standards, with expectations adjusted not for age but only for physical limitations. In addition, the kids compete at a level above their age group to provide a consistent challenge and to keep the focus on hard work and fundamentals, rather than wins or losses.
Where other programs might spend extra money – when there is any – on frivolous things, Joey says, this program focuses on the essentials. The kids get a backpack, a home jersey, an away jersey, and a hoodie for outdoor practices on chillier days. They get enough to show pride in the team but not so much that the items become distractions.
Some of the kids lack structure at home because they come from broken families, their parents work multiple jobs, or technology provides plenty of distractions. Team San Diego provides consistency and challenges the young athletes to keep their minds engaged and to develop a strong work ethic that carries beyond the court. The youth show respect to their coaches, but their coaches expect them to show the same respect to their parents and their teachers.
Speaking from experience, Joey states that the danger for talented youth is not a lack of opportunities but that, left unchallenged and unguided, boredom can lead them to choose the wrong opportunities and ultimately waste their talent. Joey Garcia believes in surrounding kids with other kids that can challenge each other in various ways. They can learn to hustle on the court and later take that focus into their education, professional sports, business, or whatever they choose, or they can take their hustle to the streets.
“TSD is personal for me. I’ve conquered many obstacles in my life. I want to make sure these kids have the right atmosphere to make the right choices. I didn’t have that,” Joey says. “The world is changing, but our work ethics should not. I want my players to be the best they can be on and off court.” The program gives them the foundation to make an informed choice.
If you’re interested in celebrating our 2nd anniversary with us to live music by San Diego representatives to the 2018 International Blues Challenge, Fuzzy Rankins, and also making a difference in the lives of these kids, here is a summary of the details:
- Date: March 24, 2018
- Lesson: 8:00pm till 9:00pm • $5
- Dancing: 9:00pm till midnight • $20 regular / $15 presale or full-time students (with valid ID)
- Location: Party Fitness Studio • 4659 Mission Gorge Pl, San Diego, CA 92120
- Cash preferred at the door. $1 fee (per person) for credit cards.
- Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/682639235458010/
More information can be found on the event page. Presale is open until Friday, March 16th. Optionally, add on the 1-hour lesson for $5. Save $5 by buying your tickets early!