2008 Woodie Awards
Youth Organization gives Sense of Sportsmanship, Scholarship to Johnson County Children
Wayne Dean Stinson: Muleskinner
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Features
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Youth Excited about Sports (YES) is a non-profit organization run with a philosophy centered on educating children in sportsmanship, Christian values and character.
O.J. Rhone, the founder and CEO, said the YES Youth Activity Center is geared to get children involved in sports after school.
Rhone cited a statistic that juvenile crime rates triple between 3 and 6 p.m., which is why he wants a quality after-school program that gives children an opportunity to stay off the streets and on the playing fields. YES goes past sports and tries to create an environment to nurture underprivileged youth.
"Tutoring, character education and after-school programming will be at the heart of our services," Rhone said.
Rhone, who was once drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1993, said he is grateful to have grown up in an environment that emphasized discipline and respect and he wants to bring that to the youth through the YES Center.
"Throughout my college and professional career, I watched sports both empower and destroy lives," he said. "In founding Youth Excited about Sports, it was my vision to create an environment where parents could feel good about the programs and kids could have fun."
The YES Center utilizes area students, coaches and athletes to help with the kids.
University of Central Missouri's Mo the Mule worked with the YES Center this past summer. Cale Magnuson, who has been Mo for the past four years, tried to get Rhone to work alongside the Campus Christian House (CCH) at UCM.
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