 Men on a Mission: The FAAM Story | In 1968, Evanston School District 65, due to financial constraints, cut back on school athletic programs. These program cuts put a void in athletic activities for Evanston’s 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.
Realizing the impact of such cuts, a group of Afro-American men in Evanston sought to replace these activities by forming the Fellowship of Afro-American Men Youth Basketball League, better known as FAAM. Considered to be the “founding fathers”, FAAMs original members consisted of Andrew Rodez, Howie Barksdale, Ray Sanders, Henry White, Bill Logan and the leagues only Commissioner, Gene Bell. Noting their importance to the community, the members set their eyes on four major goals:
1.) To teach the Afro-American youth the value of good sportsmanship and team play.
2.) To teach basketball skills.
3.) To teach Afro-American students that athletics, though important in life, is secondary to education.
4.) To present positive and progressive Afro-American men as role models for our youth.
Times have changed and FAAM has grown! What was once a four team, boys only league in 1971, we are now a twenty-four team league. Consisting of fourteen boy teams, eight girl teams and two cheerleading squads, we also has the support of over 100 volunteers, most of whom are coaches. These dedicated men and women are the driving force behind FAAMs success. Many of them are Evanstonians and former FAAM players themselves, making FAAM “The Best Game in Town”.
To kick off the season, there is a draft for new participants held every year in September. Boys and girls from Evanston and local suburbs attend this one day only event, with the hopes of improving their game. As part of the program, participants attend twice-weekly practices and weekly games held on Saturdays. Playoffs commence in February ending with the Annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser, known as “Pancake Day.” This breathtaking championship event brings participants and their families out to support the top boys and girls teams on their quest to become number one. To end the season, we hold our Annual Awards Banquet, where players are honored for their academic and athletic achievements.
As an organization, we recognize the importance of education. Therefore, we offer bi-weekly tutoring sessions at Evanston Township High School. These sessions are an additional service provided to help students achieve their maximum potential as “student-athletes.” We are also committed to the continuous support of our former players, throughout high school, as circumstances allow; emphasizing the importance of education. |
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