Program brings children from different communities together

Redford Seahawks play football but also teach, cheer, mentor, emphasize family

DETROIT – The Redford Seahawks play football. They also teach, cheer, mentor and emphasize family to all creeds and colors.

"A lot of these kids haven't dealt with other races," said Christopher Massey, the Seahawks head coach. "We also get a lot of kids from Livonia, Garden City, of course Redford and Detroit, so they are all mixed together and they become friends."

Johnell White, the president of the program, said he thinks the friends the kids make now could be the future of tomorrow.

Brian Davenport, co-founder and coach of the Redford Seahawks, didn't have a lot of friends who were different than him when he was growing up.

"When I grew up and went to college it was a total difference," Davenport said.

Davenport and White said they don't want the children of Detroit to have wait that long. They, and others, run the Seahawks all year-round for 150 young people -- boys girls, all races and faiths, because it's not just about the football.

"We have, you know, I call it kicking sessions, where they just tell us their day," Davenport said.

One boy that participates in the program said he thinks of the Redford Seahawks as family.

"Black people, or white people, or whatever religion it is, it's all fun," said Hunter Abrams, another participant in the program.

Davenport calls the program a mentoring-based program.

"A lot of kids grow up without parents, or one parent," Davenport said. "You can't just walk in and out of a kid's life because it's football season."

Davenport said at the end of the day, the children are more open to things. A lot of the kids don't attend the same school or even the same communities.

"But if they see each other at they mall, they like run up and like, 'That's my that's my brother,'" Davenport said, adding that those relationships make him happy, happier than a win. "I would rather see a kid happy than a win. A win is always good."

By teaching the kids they are all one big family, the Redford Seahawks win every time they get together, scoring big for the heart of Detroit.

Heart of Detroit