Kornacki: Church Received as Much as She Gave to EDGE Participants
8/10/2018 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It is said that those who give shall also receive, and University of Michigan sophomore basketball guard Deja Church found that absolutely to be true of her experience as a mentor at the athletic department's EDGE Youth Program for underprivileged middle school-aged girls from Detroit.
Church said that she received as much from the girls as they did from her and the other Wolverines working the 10-day camp that began July 15 and was headquartered at Crisler Center.
"I got a lot out of this camp," said Church. "I can relate to the girls and also come from the Metro Detroit area. But I never got the chance these EDGE girls got to go to the University of Michigan and create opportunities. This actually opened their eyes and they were like, 'Wow, I should buy in and be grateful for this opportunity.'
"I admired them and enjoyed making an impact on them. I'm always looking to get better at basketball, but this took the focus off that and I was able to give back to them. And they gave back to me. I thanked them. We benefited equally."
The program was co-directed by two former Wolverine student-athletes -- swimmer Kayla Douglas and softball pitcher Sara Driesenga -- who now work in the athletic department's leadership development program.
"There were very strong relationships between student-athletes and participants by the end," said Douglas. "We got to the core values of our program, which are respect, accountability, leadership, resilience and integrity. Sara and I adopted those from our experiences as Michigan student-athletes as well in our social work education."
Student-athletes from Michigan women's basketball, rowing, softball, soccer, swimming and diving, track and field and volleyball teams took part in both the academic and athletic aspects of EDGE. They participated in the daily academic teaching, coaching and mentoring.
Douglas said she wished such a program had existed when she was a Michigan swimmer, adding that student-athletes were paid and received academic credit for their work at the sessions.
They also had a lot of fun.
"I'm always dancing and that's just my thing," said Church. "We had a dance battle with the girls, and they knew all the latest dances. We bent back and forth, and it was really fun. But if I was serious, I would've destroyed them."
Church laughed about that, and discussed the camp experience.
"Our role as student-athletes was to be a mentor to the girls," said Church, who played at Southfield (Michigan) A&T. "They looked up to us and said, 'Hey, I can be like this person.' That was the best thing, being a mentor to a girl."
Church, a sport management major, enjoyed the classroom and basketball court components of the program.
"We did academics," said Church. "They worked in a writing workshop. They asked questions of the teachers, who asked us for examples to share with them about our writing techniques. They liked that, the art class and their tour of campus.
"Then, the afternoon was for athletics. They actually came over to Crisler (Center) and got a tour of the practice gym and locker room as well. We taught them how to shoot, dribble and pass. There were six skill (stations) and two of us were at each one. Most of them said they really liked basketball, and they were really into it."
The campers -- who participated in several different sports -- scrimmaged on the second day of the basketball segment.
"It was full-court, competitive and fun," said Church, who coached the teams with some of her teammates.
Winning teams would get to stay on the court for another game, but there wasn't a championship tournament format.
Did running practices and a team stoke a fire in Church to perhaps coach someday?
"It's always in the back of my mind," said Church, who averaged 7.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a freshman. "I don't know that I'll choose coaching, but a lot of people say I'm a really good leader, and so maybe."
Church said she has learned much from Wolverines coach Kim Barnes Arico, but also credited Douglas and Driesenga for impacting her in a short period of time.
"The best part about it was Sara and Kayla," said Church. "They encouraged us to exchange our (phone) numbers with the girls, and some of the girls are still calling me. They check up on me, and I check up on them.
"And they're so excited. They're saying, 'I'm coming to your games this season.' So, there was a relationship we built, and it was all worth it. It was a two-week camp that created lifetime relationships. It was all cool."
• Kornacki: Detroit Girls Get the EDGE at University of Michigan
