P.olice A.thletic L.eague is More Than Sports
Commissioner contends with coronavirus, lays out plans for future
By Keith Edmonds
Of Fort Wayne Ink Spot
The Police Athletic League is one of the athletic “staples” in our community, serving families and youth in Fort Wayne, IN, for over 50 years.
PAL continues to invest in our children’s future through their development in athletic activities and has served as the model for athletic development and sportsmanship for today’s youth. They seek to provide positive life skill development and a healthy lifestyle through their many programs. PAL is volunteer-led and that helps to continue their rich tradition of athletic success and serve as the model for athletic development and sportsmanship for our youth in Northeast Indiana.
To make an organization like this function at its highest performance level it takes leadership, and the PAL organization led by Eric Wilkins who is the Head Commissioner of the league. I recently spoke with Wilkins and found him to be very insightful and informative as to the importance of the Police Athletic League, and where he would like to take them.
Question: Eric, how did you get involved with PAL athletics?
Answer: I got back into town in the summer of 2005. I played (Catholic Youth Organization) football in younger years and then competed in high school at Bishop Dwenger, so I knew what sports did for my growth coming up. I then asked one of my friends to begin coaching with me and this lasted for 9 years (with 2 years off). Unfortunately, I had to give it up to spend more time with my kids who were starting to become more active in sports and needed my full attention. Tony Martone who was the long-time commissioner of PAL for over 35 years passed and they needed someone to step-up in 2015 and take the reins as the new commissioner. Steve Butz (PAL’s acting director) asked me if I would be interested in the position and of course, I said yes!
Question: So, what makes the PAL different from other organizations that are serving youth in the Fort Wayne area from an athletic standpoint?
Answer: I think what makes PAL different than other organizations is our “coverage” of the Fort Wayne area is everywhere. We have teams that are Southeast, East Allen, Georgetown/St Joe Foster Park and even Southwest so we can bring lots of different groups into the PAL family. What we want to emphasize about PAL is “community awareness," trying to give back to the community and reengage the police officers into our mission. Though football is our biggest sports program, we also offer volleyball and basketball and they fill voids for those families that cannot cover the expenses of travel ball or other athletic programs that may be similar to ours.
Question: Where does the funding come from to support the great services that PAL offers?
Answer: All of our programs are funded through private donations and grants which keeps our costs down to only $75 a family and our league fees down as well. We don’t want to turn anyone away that would like to become a part of our organization. Finances will not impede being a part of PAL. We will work with your family to assure that your child has the opportunity to become a part of the Police Athletic League.
Question: What are the skill levels of athletes that are drawn to the Police Athletic League? Some organizations only look for high-level athletes to be in their organizations. How do I know that there is a place for my child in PAL?
Answer: Anyone that wants to be a part of PAL is welcome. Especially with basketball and volleyball, we tend to draw athletes on the beginning levels. Football tends to be on a higher level only because that’s what we are known for in this city. It is where kids come to play and we’re proud of that. We will not turn away any child that wants to be in our organization and will work with them on where they are “skill wise” so that they feel comfortable being apart.
Question: Speaking of COVID, how has the pandemic changed how you do things in the Police Athletic League?
Answer: A lot! Thankfully, we are members of USA football, which has assisted us with the aforementioned return to play policy. We follow their guidelines to the letter, which consisted of a progression of group work (small groups to start) and built on these groups each week until we got to 11 on 11 football (with full pads) with kids temperatures being taken, water bottles being brought to practices, along with hand sanitizing stations. Our plan had to be approved by the Allen County Health Board which was necessary for us to use EACS and SACS facilities. Fan seating had to be limited and everyone had to wear masks as well as practice “social distancing,” so this is an ongoing process for our organization to educate our players, staff, and families on safety procedures which is what we’ve found to be the best way for us to have a successful season.
Question: An important part of the success of any organization is allowing individuals that have knowledge and experience to share their thoughts and provide guidance. How has USA football assisted PAL with that?
Answer: We’ve partnered with USA football and they have developed the Football Development Model (lead by FW area coaches) and taken a small-sited approach towards teaching younger kids (starting around 3rd grade) how to play the game of football. They start with 7-on-7 games (no pads just flags) to get parents and kids comfortable on how to play the game. We feel that this will allow more kids to become a part of PAL and move our organization forward towards educating families on the game of football.
Question: Obviously, with the name of your organization being the Police Athletic League, there’s another huge component involved in PAL. Can you share what the role of the police is in PAL?
Answer: We want our officers to build relationships with our kids and families like it used to be in the early PAL days. We want them to be role models and have a presence at events and throughout our organization in partnership with us to provide support to our mission and those that want to see PAL continue to grow and be a vital part of the Fort Wayne community.
Question: What are the 3 things that if nothing else is remembered about this article, that you want to leave with the readers about the Police Athletic League?
Answer: Developing kids in athletics and being good citizens of this community. That’s hugely important to us!; The involvement of community volunteers has allowed us to be who we are and we want all of our volunteers to know that we appreciate that as an organization; We are here to serve everybody. PAL can be a potential home for anyone desiring to play athletics. We are here for you!
