OZANAM INC.’s DR. KAREN HALL, HOLDING THE BASKETBALL, WITH MEMBERS OF OZANAM. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)
In the event you’re from some other part of the world…far, far away, or you’ve been living under the proverbial rock, O Z, aka Ozanam Basketball, has been the legendary HUB for youth basketball development and competition here in Western PA since 1971. It was founded by the late, great Carl Kohlman.
The basketball program, originally sponsored by the Ozanam Cultural Center, provided top level and highly competitive camps, clinics and leagues for players from all over the city, Allegheny County, Western PA, and for that matter, the greater part of the East Coast.
In an attempt to restore the Ozanam Girls Basketball Program, the leadership recreated the Ozanam Girls Basketball Clinic they engaged in the 1980s and 1990s, under the visionary and founder of Ozanam, Mr. Carl Kohlman.
For 12 weeks (May 3-July 19) on Saturdays at the Ammon Recreation Center, from 10 a.m. to noon, squeaking sneakers and bouncing basketballs could be heard throughout the gym.
The uniqueness of the OGBC was inviting businesswomen from the Pittsburgh community who represented different professions, each week, to speak with and engage the girls in conversations of life lessons, character building, setting goals, etc.
The women who visited included: Amy Scheueman, Senior Director, P3R Youth Division; Pro Boxer, Chatiqua “Tika” Hemingway; Jodi Butler, founder of Pittsburgh FIT; Dr. Debbie Lewis, Owner, Dr. Debbie Lewis Dentistry & University of Pittsburgh Women’s Basketball Hall-of-Fame; Erica Dean, Vice President of Human Resources for Comcast Keystone Region; Cassandra Brown, PPS Nurse; Qualisha Zyhier, Principal; Michaela Porter, New Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Duquesne University; Alaya Bivins, Scholarship Player, Penn West University/CalUniv.; and Miquelian Javier, Senior Analyst in International Support for American Eagle Outfitters Inc.
Sponsor of OGBC: FNB, Atlantic 10 Conference, Consumer Produce, and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Back in the glory days of O Z basketball, college coaches from around the country came to observe, scout and recruit the talented players. Names such as Sam Clancy, Darelle Porter, Karen Hall, Jennifer Bruce, Margo Hinton, Carlita Jones, Larry Anderson, Mary Myers, and hundreds of other basketball legends, just to name a few.
While basketball was certainly the frontrunner, many of the coaches became involved beyond the court, forming long-term mentoring and friendships that still exist to this day, some 55-plus years from the start.
Many of the players emerged as some of the city’s and country’s elite student athletes, community and world leaders, and most important, members of the O Z family who continue to give back to today’s youth.
Today’s basketball program is directed by two former Ozanam players, former great Division 1 players: Coach Dr. Karen Hall of UNLV who is the Director of the Girls Basketball Program, and Darelle Porter, former great player at the University of Pittsburgh, is the Director of the Boys Division.
There are fall and spring leagues, shootouts for both divisions, ongoing skill development during the school year, including girls 18 and under summer league and the summer co-ed development league for boys 16 and under.
Most importantly, as a part of their mission, Ozanam hosts the annual Ozanam Youth Basketball Leadership Conference. The OYBLC exposes young people to the Pittsburgh Promise, nutrition and fitness, occupations, vocations, and overall integrity of the student athlete.
Unbeknownst to many people, I was privileged and fortunate to be mentored and educated to some hardcore facts by founder and “The Godfather” of youth basketball in Western PA, Mr. Carl Kohlman. When I first started the Connie Hawkins Summer Basketball League in 1975, I had a sit-down with Mr. Kohlman…what that really means is you sit down and listened to Mr. Kohlman tell you what you were going to do! The three very important things he told me were . . . #1. You run your program for college players and older; we’ll take care of everyone under that age (and I said, “Yes, Sir!”). #2. Don’t let “THEM” tell you what to do . . . “THEY” will try to take it from you! (And I said, “Yes, Sir!”). #3. Don’t sell out, if you do this, you do it for the people and the community, not the rewards! (And I said, “Yes, Sir!”). (Oh, please, stop it, you know who “THEY” are —big smile).
Obviously, there was more conversation to the learning process, but I understood and never had to have the conversation again. After that, I got up and left, a better person for it. And certainly smarter about it, and given that I was a rookie in the matter, he sent me off in the right direction. (Special Note: And insiders will understand this . . . “And then ‘JUDY’ walked me to the door and said, ‘Just listen, you’ll be OK.’”)
I’d like to think I listened and did well, and I believe I did. Furthermore, as a matter of record, I am proud to say Mr. Kohlman spent many of his last days, before going on to basketball heaven, seated courtside at “Champions Park,” aka “Pennley Park” in East Liberty, watching the third and final wave of the Connie Hawkins Summer Basketball League. And, as only he could do, he drove his car into the backside of the park right up to the court and he and some of the other OGs took in the games each night.
Special Note: In honor of Mr. Kohlman and in conjunction with Ozanam Basketball, Darelle Porter, Dr. Karen Hall, and the Kohlman family, we have named and enshrined THE CARL KOHLMAN YOUTH SERVICE AWARD into the staples of the Pittsburgh City League High School All Sports Hall of Fame Inductions.
In closing, Darelle Porter, former O Z player, Pitt basketball legend, and Duquesne University basketball coach, now serves as Executive Director of Ozanam Inc. O Z continues its enduring impact in the community with and aside from basketball, and has expanded its focus to include STEM education and other programs aimed at enriching the lives of young people.
Lastly, allow me to remind you…and take you back to “The Original O Z,” when you had to park a mile away from the courts to get to the games, when Black-White-Latino-Asian and all other community folks came to “The Hill” to play and see the best players in the state. At a time when you could be sitting next to “Joe What’s-His-Name” or Coach Tim Grgurich of Pitt, or Sonny Vaccaro, or Coach Jerry Tarkanian of UNLV, or for that matter, Bobby Knight. Yes, there was a moment in time when Ozanam Basketball and all that came with it was THE ABSOLUTE PLACE TO BE!!! And the legend and legacy continues.
For more information on Ozanam, you can call Coach Porter at 412-583-2249 or Coach Hall at 412-860-4787.
GAME OVER