It’s the kind of testimonial often heard by Sandy Sieben, vice president for operations at the Franciscan Friars Club of Cincinnati for the past four years.
“I played here. My son played here. And I want my grandson to play here,” said one grandpa bringing a child to enroll in the Friars Club program, which offers basketball, baseball, martial arts, along with a variety of sports programs and education to urban youth.
Sometimes a Friars Club alumni will come by. One, with a good job, a successful life, married and with children, noted, “I have to be honest. I didn’t have a lot of family and strong support growing up. Without the Friars Club I would have ended up on the street or in jail.”
Every year, more than 1,000 young people enter the doors of the facility, located in the Clinton neighborhood. They are guided by volunteer coaches and counselors, four full-time staffers, and two part-timers.
Programs include a popular day camp. Sports are not the only emphasis. A Catholic Inner-City Scholars Education Program brings together 300 students from urban Catholic schools for after-school educational enrichment. The place bustles with activity, including a Dribblers Academy for four-year-old aspiring hoopsters and the Ron Walker Youth Sports program for older students in basketball, volleyball and baseball. A Leadership program trains high school student volunteers to coach grade-schoolers.
“The cool thing is that we are from all over. You don’t have to live in a certain zip code,” said Sandy. Programs are geared to promoting sportsmanship and good behavior as much as winning skills. “The skills they learn on the court are life skills to be used away from the court as well,” she said, noting the focus is on what she describes as “the Franciscan way.”
The Friars Club remains a ministry of the Franciscans, formerly of the Cincinnati- based St. John the Baptist Province, now part of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The organization’s board includes Cincinnati community leaders and three Franciscans.
A congenial atmosphere pervades. No swearing allowed. Players are taught to treat each other with respect. It’s a quality sometimes not found in youth leagues. Still, the Friars Club boasts alumni who played basketball at Division I schools and the NBA.
There’s been several changes to the program, including new facilities, relocations, and the emergence of lay leadership under the direction of President Annie Timmons. The Friars Club began 164 years ago, when friars devoted themselves to providing an after-school outlet for the children of German immigrants who crowded into Cincinnati.
German immigrants are now rare in Cincinnati, but new generations from diverse backgrounds continue to replenish the program. Participants now come from all over the city, its suburbs, and nearby areas of Kentucky and Indiana. Scholarships help defray the costs for those who cannot afford it.
At one time, the Friars Club included services for dependent youth, homeless families and community empowerment programs. Now it is focused on sports and education for youth, with a particular focus on younger children.
And just in time for summer, registration for the Friars Club Summer Camp is open!
The Friars Club Summer Day Camp runs June through July from 8am-4pm. The program lasts eight weeks and includes academics, athletics, and enrichment activities. Each day all campers are provided breakfast, a snack, and a hot lunch. Activities include swimming lessons and swimming, golf lessons and golfing, chess, field trips, and more!
To learn more about the Friars Club Summer Day Camp, visit https://www.friarsclubinc.org/summer-program/
For more information about the Friars Club, call 513-488-8777, or visit them online at www.friarsclubinc.org.
