Philly basketball coach helps team take the trip of a lifetime
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- "Most of the things that we learn that are cool in our neighborhood aren't positive," said basketball coach John Dennis. "I'm definitely trying to change that narrative."
Dennis himself knows what it's like to hit the bottom and bounce back better.
"I was 18 and some buddies of mine and myself, we committed robbery," said Dennis. "I got incarcerated, did eight years in prison. My mother died while I was incarcerated. So, that was like a big wake up call to me."
Dennis took time to re-evaluate his own life path and decided to make a change. He first became a barber and then founded his own youth basketball program, the Philly All Stars.
The Philly All Stars is a local basketball franchise that plays in the Small Ball United League. And this year, Small Ball hosted a tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With help from fellow coaches, parents, and churches, Dennis was able to take his team on the trip of a lifetime.
"Without sponsorship, it's hard to do things of that magnitude, but we pushed our way through," he said. "We took 40 kids to the US Virgin Islands to participate and our varsity team won the U.S. Virgin Islands championship."
Watch our video above to see the Philly All Stars in action as they recall the amazing experience and look forward to the future.
To learn more about the Philly All Stars or the Small Ball United League, visit their webpages.
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