What do you get when you combine kids, cop, and golf? Even more than you might imagine.
“While I be watching TV, they be saying all police officers are bad, but when I was there today, I realized all of them are not the same,” 11-year-old Danye Walker said as he took a swing at more than just golf.
Walker has been learning that kids and cops can be teammates through “Play Like a Champion,” hosted by the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago District Golf Association.
The series of youth golf events with police officers is aimed at building camaraderie and mentorship. Walker was part of a session in August at Columbus Park on the West Side.
“Our goal, if you will, when we approached Supt. Snelling was to utilize the game of golf as a conduit to bring the community and the kids together with the officers at a place that we consider a safe haven,” said Chicago District Golf Association senior director Mike Gilligan.
Police Supt. Larry Snelling loved the idea.
“It teaches these young people that we can all work together, we can all get along,” he said. “Not only are you being exposed to a new sport, a new game, you’re being exposed to our officers to sit down, talk with them, team up with them, have mentorship from our officers, understand that they’re human, and that we can all talk, we can all get along, we can partner, and that these officers care.”
These are young golfers. Snelling insists that’s key.
“What we want to do is give young kids an opportunity to do things that would deter them from following a lifestyle that is not going to lead to success for them in the future,” he said. “We can prevent those things, especially starting with very young children and partnering with them, letting them know they can trust us as a department, trust us as people.”
Snelling said it’s also about expanding their world.
“Having seen things outside of my community growing up is what helped me look at life in general from a different perspective,” he said. “If you think that everything that you see every day around you is the only thing that exists, you don’t grow. Your mind doesn’t expand, and then you get stuck in that one place.”
It goes both ways.
“From the officers’ perspective, we also know that they go through the trials and tribulations, and we have used with our vets as well as with officers golf as a therapeutic tool,” Gilligan said.
It’s also a lot of fun. Look closely and you’ll see the equipment the new golfers are sporting is a little different.
“Today we’re using equipment that is considered SNAG – starting new at golf,” Gilligan said. “It’s oversized golf heads with colorful shafts, grips, and the whatnot; using golf balls that are set up with Velcro.”
CBS News Chicago asked Snelling if he plays golf.
“Actually, I do not, but I’m sure one of these young people out here will teach me today,” he said.
Snelling said seeing the teamwork gives him great satisfaction.
“This is proof positive that these things happen, and that these officers are human beings, and these officers do want to see change, and they want to see young people grow in a positive way,” he said. “We have to humanize each other if we’re going to understand each other.”
Snelling said when the call came out, officers were lining up to participate in the program. The Chicago Police Department and Chicago District Golf Association said this is just the beginning. They plan to do many more programs together.
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