Why is it that so many professional African American athletes will not or cannot go home after becoming successful?For athletes home is the place where it begins with playing touch football in a grassy field or shooting jumpers on a basketball court. Home is where the streetlight is your only source of light. These athletes seem to have the green light to go anywhere in the world, but somehow their navigation system in the $100,000 Range Rover cannot seem to find the old neighborhood.
Sure, it is okay to move to the suburbs where education is supposedly better and you get more bangs for your buck when purchasing a house or participating in the neighborhood cookout.
However, it seems like an epidemic in the North Texas area because there are so many professional athletes from the area who should visit their old YMCAs, schools or community centers.
Take retired sprinter Michael Johnson, winner of four Olympic gold medals, eight world championship medals. He currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400m and 4 x 400 meters relay.
He is also a businessman who owns and operates the Michael Johnson Performance Center and travels the country speaking to youth and other organizations. Johnson excelled in track at all levels and left his legacy at Baylor University and Skyline High School which is located in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas. Skyline High is also the first magnet school to open in the United States back in 1972 and have graduated students who have became accountants, attorneys, athletes and the lead architect for Cowboy Stadium.
Johnson seems so busy over the years that his schedule does not permit him time to stop by Skyline and speak to young men and women who are looking for guidance from one of their own. What is it? Does he need Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz to help him find the “yellow brick” to Skyline? Maybe he needs the Scare Crow, Tin Man and the cowardly Lion to assist him to the school auditorium.
A girl’s track team with nine state championships should be a nice road trip to encourage these young ladies about carrying the baton of tradition and achieving academic excellence. A football team that is nationally ranked each year would love to have him at their sports banquet and hear about his travels all over the world. Maybe before the next President election in 2016 he can show up to the track meet that bears is name.
However, there is also Calvin Miles, a former Skyline basketball player and Utah Jazz. He attends some of the game, and he also puts his money where his mouth with massive donation to the team and school.
There is no place like home and the doors are always open at these schools and community facilities where they can share information to these young men and women.
