Rain was falling, but the kids kept coming.
About 50 Minnesota Jays football players showed up for practice at Bryn Mawr Meadows Park in Minneapolis last week. The park was lined with vehicles as parents, siblings and friends watched the Jays go through drills while rain clouds eventually moved on. The young players came from around the Twin Cities, including Blaine, Coon Rapids and even St. Cloud. But most of the players are from north Minneapolis. Football is their favorite sport. It’s also their best diversion.
Jays parents support the program because it keeps their sons occupied during the summer. They have structure. They are part of a team. And they are staying away from trouble.
“It’s the life experiences outside of football, some experiences you weren’t learning from sitting at home. Being part of a team, sometimes you have to give up one thing to go do something else.”
The Jays play a spring and a fall schedule, traveling to tournaments throughout the country. It requires nearly year-round training. The coaches have even shoveled snow in the winter to create practice space.
“I would say that for the parents who stuck around, it has created more of a safety net,” said Alyshia Jackson, whose son, Bashawn Williams, 7, is a member of the Baby Jays. “My kid is in good hands when they are around these other boys. My kid is in good hands when he’s around the other coaches. They are going to do whatever is in the best interest of our kids.”
That has included protecting their lives.
It was just three years ago this summer when Jays practice at Jordan Park in north Minneapolis was halted by gunfire. Bullets whizzed over heads as coaches ordered players to lie on the ground or hide behind walls. The very thing the kids and these families were trying to avoid suddenly threatened their lives.
“We’re all used to gunshots,” said Adel Morey, one of the coaches. “But it’s the gunshots followed by the sound of bullets going over everyone. There were parents running to get their kids, and we are tackling kids and tackling parents, crawling and telling everyone to get down. I’m getting goosebumps from talking about it.”
Several players who were on the field that day remain in the program. More than one Jays player used the word “brotherhood” to describe how close-knit they became after the incident.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I was scared,” said Marqueal Mitchell, 12. “The coaches told us to get down. They got the vans out, and they got us out of the park. But I was scared.
“We just had to leave that behind and keep moving forward. After that, we just started bonding. We were close, but we became closer after that.”
Practices were moved from Jordan Park to Byrn Mawr Meadows Park, a safer area. There, they work out with the Minneapolis skyline in the background. Homeowners sit garbage cans around the field, and the players clean up after practices.
By the way, the Jays have gotten pretty good. The under-12 team recently won a tournament in Rantoul, Ill., outscoring opponents 72-0 in three games. There are upcoming tournaments in New Orleans and Atlanta. Traveling to tournaments isn’t cheap, and the team is constantly fundraising to meet costs and operates a GoFundMe page. But traveling is the best part about being a Jay.
“It’s the life experiences outside of football, some experiences you weren’t learning from sitting at home,” said Jeremiah Shiner, 12, from Minneapolis. “Being part of a team, sometimes you have to give up one thing to go do something else. Sometimes, I give up my weekends to go raffling with the team so we can afford stuff to do.”
The Jays program, directed by David Trueblood, is seven years old. Currently, there’s an under-12 team, 11u team, 10u team and the Baby Jays. High school coaches occasionally visit practice to check out the next wave of players. Trueblood is close friends with Charles Adams, the head coach at Minneapolis North, a former Minneapolis police officer and the current director of team security for the Twins. Adams said programs like the Jays have aided in the Polars’ success.
“Youth programs are important when leaders like Trueblood continue to provide mentorship and North Side pride from the neighborhood we grew up in together,” Adams said. “Being able to show kids how great our community is and what it takes to be successful at the next level. Not just sports, but in life.”
Three years after ducking for cover as bullets flew over their heads, the Minnesota Jays continue to travel the country, accumulate victories and provide positive experiences for their kids.