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enforce. Currently one of the strongest in
the state, the Manatee County PAL has
a membership of 1,200. In Florida, 54
chapters serve a total of more than 275,000
children, and this year the American Youth
Football and Cheerleading decided to
relocate their home base for their South
Florida Conference to Manatee County.
When the clock strikes 4 p.m. each weekday,
kids ranging in age from elementary to high
school stream through the doors at PAL
excited to share stories about their day and
seek homework guidance. After all work is
court, anxiously meeting doctors, nurses,
owners who generously trade off their
careers for volunteer coaching positions
during the afternoons.
“We are a place for kids to come if they get
locked out of their house or they need help
with school,” said Gina Spicer, Manatee
County PAL director of fundraising and
events planning, who often pitches in to
help kids with homework or console a child
who needs a female to listen.
“Many Manatee County youth live in
neighborhoods threatened by gangs,
drugs, and violence. Here we try to instill
teamwork. Coach Bryant has been a huge
reason for our growth. He is a humble man.
He is so humble he won’t tell you all of the
great things he has done.”
And the list is long and great. When Bryant
entered the doors of PAL for the first
time, the teams played on recreational
levels. Bryant focused on carving out elite
travel teams that claim titles and, more
importantly, the undivided attention of
college recruiters descending from big
player schools ranging from Florida State
and University of Florida to Yale University.
“Ralph has been a huge asset for PAL,
and under his leadership has built an
outstanding basketball program,” said PAL
board member and MCSO Major Patrick
Cassella. “Most importantly, he has made
kids by being not just a coach, but also a
positive role model and mentor.”
outside the gym, layers upon layers of
trophies in bright reds, blues, and golds
stand tall and proud. Alongside the
accolades, pictures – some faded with
age – of kids beaming in their PAL jerseys
smile back at you. Many have moved on
to score college scholarships and degrees
and a way up and out of poverty.
“I was just given a task and told to grow
(the program),” said Bryant who grew up
between Tallevast and Sarasota and has
four grown children who thrived in the
PAL program. “The goal is college. And I
mean college for everyone. We’re on the
Adidas, Nike, and Disney. These kids get
a lot of exposure. Every workplace now is
looking for at least some college, and we
want these kids to focus not on a job, but
on a career.”
Perhaps Bryant’s greatest success story
now works beside him just down the hall. A
little more than 20 years ago, Houston was
a 13-year-old basketball player with natural,
star-power talent and a self-described
arrogant attitude. Meeting Bryant at a
Hoop It Up Tournament in Orlando, she
going to walk into your gym and be the best
player who ever comes out.”
Chuckling at the memory, Houston said:
“He told me I could play, but then he said
we need to work on that attitude.”
Struggling with the absence of a father
the meandering paths to college, Houston
immediately connected with Bryant who
took her under his wing when she failed
the math portion of the SAT twice, despite
having a high GPA and college promise.