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Schools

Malverne Uses Magic To Keep Youth Sports Programs Alive

The Malverne Wildcats and Panthers, two-non profit youth sports programs, held a magic show fundraiser.

The Malverne's Wildcats and Panthers packed the auditorium of Middle School last Friday night hoping to see some real magic.

Performer Uncle Majic, who dubs himself as the "Hip Hop magician" entertained the players, coaches and their families on Dec. 10 with his unique style of dance, music and tricks. The real magic though was not on the stage, but sitting in the audience.

The Malverne Wildcats Football and Panthers Basketball are two youth sports teams that have had a big impact on the community.

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These non-profit programs provide a vehicle for local kids to boost their confidence, learn the values of teamwork and discipline, and devote their time to excelling in a sport. It also keeps them busy and motivated, so they aren't wandering the streets looking for something to do, perhaps collecting a criminal record in the meantime, or dropping out of school.

The programs have had a positive influence on many kids, including Wildcats player Brian Cortina. When asked why he joined the team, Cortina said, "There's nothing else to do. Their summer camp keeps me busy, and it helped me to also lose weight."

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Wildcats Head Coach Mike Taylor founded the programs along with Assistant Coach Lorenzo Jenkins. Taylor, who the kids and their parents call Mike, and Jenkins are just two concerned parents who took a hard look around their neighborhood and wanted to make it better. They gave the youth of their community the greatest gift they had to offer: their time, from which sprung the Wildcats and the Panthers, a source of community pride and hope for its young people. Through the work of the program and its coaches over 22 students have gone to college on sports scholarships. 

However, today these programs, which abide by the A.A.V. non-profit standards, are in dire need of financial support. This prompted three of the coaches to organize a fundraiser. They tapped Uncle Majic, a magician who combines comedy and hip hop into his routines, which he has performed on VH1 and at private celebrity parties. They sold tickets to the players and their families, and advertised the event to the greater community.

The kids loved the show, and even broke into an "I want Uncle Majic at my birthday party" chant. Uncle Majic also shared a positive message with the kids, saying that the key to success, especially if life doesn't deal you the best hand of cards, are the "The 5 P's: Proper preparation prevents poor performance."

He warned them against repeatedly making the same mistakes and poor choices. "You'll always get the same outcome, so do something different," he said.

After the show, Taylor stood at the base of the stage, where one child after another ran up to talk to the man who has become their coach, their friend and their role model.

As some of the first winter flurries came down outside, the auditorium was filled with warmth, energy, and excitement throughout the night. Together the coaches, the players, their families and the program's supporters cheered, clapped and conveyed the old adage, "It takes a village to raise a child." 

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