4 minute read
Wayne Sweeney: The Enthusiast
BY KATIE MAHONEY I VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Before Wayne Sweeney formed H.O.O.D., he himself was one of the at-risk youths in the City of York. H.O.O.D. stands for “Helping Offer Options & Direction” and works with City youth and hosts community events to have positive outlets and impact. “Positive things and people come out of the ‘hood,’” says Wayne. “It isn’t about a name to me though, I just wanted to give back to my community, be a positive light after being a negative one, and change my life at the same time.” H.O.O.D. started over ten years ago with a group of people, and is mostly known for putting together Trey & Boo Classic basketball tournament, but that’s just the beginning.
The meaning of Trey & Boo is deep for Wayne. “It represents the point of where I started to change my life around,” he shares. In 2007, his younger cousin Richard “Boo” Banks was killed. “I woke up that day, and I started to change my life around piece by piece. I told myself that I gotta be better, or it was going to be me next. I felt I was a worse individual than he was. But somehow God kept me here so while here I have to make an impact. Week to week, month to month, year to year, I started to do different.”
And that he has. Trey & Boo expands into different states, and Wayne also launched a football tournament as well to honor his nephew, Da'Keem "Keemie" Dennsion. The tournament is known as BLIK, “Ball Like I’m Keemie.” Wayne also is president of the York Bears Youth Football team, coordinating 100+ kids from York. He is the assistant director for BYC youth basketball as well as many other things.
When asked what inspires him it’s clear, “The kids,” Wayne answers. “They are so much a part of my life. Some of these kids are in high school now that I coached, mentored, or just been a positive male role model to, and I’ve been around them since they were 6 years old. Some even going off to college so it’s dope to see.” York City has a huge football and basketball base, similar to a lot of urban cities. “They are the breath of fresh air. We’re just creating change – a lot of it is through sports,” adds Wayne.
Though athletics is a huge footprint Wayne is making in the York Community, a couple of his proudest moments are the Thanksgiving & Christmas Dinners and Toy Drives for the homeless, and anyone in the community. “You don’t really realize how many less fortunate people are out there, until you have an event like that,” says Wayne. “Sometimes things happen and people run into unfortunate situations. We just want to help where we can.” Wayne was raised in Parkway, a small neighborhood in the city, where he was raised on the value of sticking together and looking out for each other. “I don’t look at anybody any type of way that may need help, I can need help tomorrow!”
Q: HOW CAN YORK SUPPORT YOU & YOUR WORK?
A: I just want to show love to everyone in the community who is actually putting forth effort. To the City and the business owners – continue to play a part in the community. Listen to those in the city that are doing things and give back. The youth organizations always need support. Guys like myself have great ideas, we just need a little support sometimes. That support can mean showing a person like myself the ropes or financial support; sometimes it’s just being a supporter and being open to plans and ideas that can make things greater in our city. If a kid doesn’t have the money to sign up for a sport, a class, or whatever it is they are doing, I should be able to go to a local business and ask them to sponsor that kid.
