Honoring Rev. Hughey's legacy
G. Jeffrey Aaron
This summer, those passing by Elmira's Ernie Davis Park on Saturdays will hear a traditional sound of summer — the thump-thump of basketballs being dribbled on asphalt courts.
But the sound won't be made by youthful NBA hopefuls looking to pass the time. The players will be part of a nine-week basketball tournament dedicated to preserving the legacy of the late Rev. Leo Hughey Jr. — the pastor at Faith Temple Community Church of God in Christ who died in 2012.
The church started in a storefront on Elmira's Eastside and has since grown to one of Elmira's largest houses of worship.
Registration for the first annual Rev. Leo Hughey Jr. Basketball Classic begins this Saturday at Ernie Davis Park, across from Ernie Davis Middle School, 610 Lake St. The organizing agency, Program of P.E.A.C.E., is planning for teams to compete in three age divisions — 7 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 to 15.
Program for P.E.A.C.E.was established in 2010 by Willie Owens Jr. and Troy Council, both from Elmira. It sponsors youth mentoring programs at the YWCA and spelling bees in the Elmira City School District. Last summer, the group sponsored a field trip to Washington D.C.
The highlight of the tournament, says Council, will be an All-Star game featuring players from Newark, N. J. Council has a brother there, Patrick Council, who is organizing a similar tournament. Bringing in talented players from larger cities, Council said, is a reality check for the local players.
"We're bringing between 20 and 30 kids," said Patrick Council. "And we're coming to win it."
But the tournament isn't all about basketball. It's more about the man who turned down a chance to play professional basketball and worked his way up the ladder at Kennedy Valve, an Elmira foundry, to continue the ministry established by his father, the Rev. Leo Hughey Sr.
The elder Hughey founded his church in a storefront on John Street. The church eventually moved to a former synagogue on Orchard Street, also on Elmira's Eastside. When the second church property was purchased by the city's urban renewal office, the Hugheys bought property on Standish Street in 1969 for a new church.
A contractor was hired to build the shell of their new church. The interior was completed by the congregation, with the Hugheys doing most of the work.
In 1997, Faith Temple moved again, this time to a newly constructed church on Harper Street, its present location. The larger building allowed the church's youth programs to grow. In 2004, Faith Temple broke ground for a family center, which is located on Sullivan Street, adjacent to the Harper Street church.
The church now operates a day care center in the family center and Faith Temple annually gives scholarships to the promising students in its congregation, which numbers about 300 members.
Four years ago, Council and Owens approached Hughey for advice and support for establishing Program of P.E.A.C.E.
"He embraced what we were trying to do and not one time did he show he wouldn't be behind us," Owens said.
In December, they met with the late pastor's wife, Wilma, to discuss the tournament idea. Leo Hughey was a basketball teammate of Ernie Davis in 1958, when the team piled up 52 wins. Davis, an Elmira sports standout who died in 1963, in 1961 became the first African-American to win college football's top award, the Heisman Trophy.
"All of the kids were home and we talked about it," Wilma Hughey said. "We were extremely moved and didn't anticipate anything like this. Leo's passing was still new to us and the idea was refreshing."
"This campus is a tribute to my husband's legacy but for them to want to do the tournament is more than we could have imagined," she said.
To ensure Rev. Hughey isn't lost in the basketball competition, the teams will wear a portrait of him on their jerseys. And Wilma Hughey will give a speech on her husband's vision during this weekend's kickoff.
"Getting the support from Faith Temple was huge for us and we want to make sure they know the story behind the face on their jerseys," Owens said. "So who better to tell that story than his wife."