Kim League 60th Anniversary
Hat Tip, Katelynn Farley
“The kids may care who wins or loses - we do not.”
Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 marked a special occasion in Huntington County - 60 years of Kim League basketball at the YMCA. To mark this special anniversary, community members, athletes and special guests alike joined together in the gymnasium at the Parkview Huntington Family YMCA to celebrate.
Many of those in attendance had personal ties to the league, whether it be through their own experiences as a player, time spent volunteering to keep the league running or watching their children play the beloved sport of basketball. To kick things off, Pastor and YMCA Chief Volunteer Officer Jason Fields shared a little bit about his own personal ties to the league and led those in attendance in a word of prayer.
“It’s an honor,” Fields stated. “And I love the difference that it’s making for our youth…just to see how they continue to grow and develop in friendships and learning the essential skills they need to grow. It’s exciting. So, thank you to the parents, coaches, the kids, the volunteers, everybody that makes this possible.”
After Fields finished his prayer for safety and thankfulness of 60 years of Kim League Basketball, he transferred the mic to CEO and Executive Director Todd Latta. Latta started off his portion of the celebration by thanking this year’s sponsors and then turned the spotlight on the many unseen hands that make the league possible.
“You guys - the parents, the coaches, the volunteers that make this thing happen,” Latta said. “We realize the value of sports in developing youth and sometimes we forget that. That’s really why we’re here. The kids may care who wins or loses, we do not.”
Latta shared that the spirit of the Kim League is less about the score at the end of the game and more about developing vital life skills in the players.
“Say a kid comes out on the first day and they’re not the best dribbler,” Latta said. “They might have some issues with double dribbling and we have our coaches and our referees step in to help. We try to develop these skills as we go along but it’s not necessarily about the skills of basketball as much as it is about teaching kids to work hard to achieve a goal.”
Latta also offered advice to the parents in the crowd - advice to teach their athletes about work ethic and to “encourage the kids to show up” ready to learn the value of hard work and how it pays off in the long run.
Two special letters were also shared by Latta to commemorate the anniversary of Kim League basketball in Huntington. The first was a letter from the brother of the late Kim Howenstine, after which the league is named. The second letter was from two children of the late Ezra “Ez” Williams, who started the league. The Howenstine letter detailed the story of how even as just a young boy, Kim Howenstine’s spirit and love for the game of basketball inspired the community.
“As the story goes, Kim was just nine years old…when, in the middle of the game, racing down the floor, he suddenly stumbled and fell,” Latta read. “This moment would turn out to to be the first sign that something was wrong.”
Soon after this tumble, it was discovered that Kim Howenstine had a brain tumor that would ultimately take his life.
“Even though he left us too son, Kim’s spirit lives on in this league, the sport he loved and in the friendships and community he cherished,” Latta went on. “On behalf of my family, I want to thank each and every one of you who has contributed to this community and to this league over the years, carrying forward the spirt of basketball, friendship and community.”
The second letter detailed stories of Ez Williams, who began a basketball league at the local YMCA as a way to ensure that children were learning the fundamental parts of the game. Mr. Williams did this despite having battled polio and being limited in his mobility due to the illness.
At first, the league that Mr. Williams started was known as the Midget League. This league began in 1958. It was Kim Howenstine’s passing in October of 1964 that inspired the name change, and the letter that Latta shared detailed stories of how on Kim League nights at the YMCA, Mr. Williams would crawl up and down the stairway into the old YMCA gym in order to be there. The letter also thanked those who made it possible for Mr. Williams’ legacy to be kept alive.
“He would be so happy to see that the Kim League has evolved into an even stronger program for the children of the community.”
In addition to the letters, Latta presented the Ez Williams Reward to Tim Allen, recognizing more than 15 years of service to the YMCA to the recipient. Allen was not in attendance, but Latta shared how Allen had impacted the YMCA during his years of service.
Afterward, Mayor Richard Strick, along with Huntington County Commissioner Rob Miller, read a joint proclamation, celebrating the thousands of children and adults who have been involved in the Kim League over the years. The proclamation also celebrated the different core values and essential life skills that are fostered through the Kim League. The full version of the proclamation reads:
WHEREAS, since the start of the Huntington YMCA’s Kim League
Basketball Program in 1958, thousands of children and adults from our
community have participated as players, coaches or parents, and
WHEREAS, regardless of ability or background, Kim League players learn
core YMCA values of Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility and
essential life skills such as courage, work ethic and handling adversity; and
WHEREAS, by being a member of a team and through the positive impact
of adult mentors, children in the Kim League program learn about the value
of diversity in people and the importance of working together; and
WHEREAS, the program is named in honor of a young boy and Kim
League player who sadly lost his battle with cancer in the league’s early
years, and in his memory the program’s directors have invested endless
time and energy into developing and mentoring local youths; and
WHEREAS, Huntington County and the City of Huntington recognize the
countless ways that Kim League Basketball has strengthened our
community;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, Huntington Mayor Richard Strick and
Commissioner Rob Miller, on behalf of the City and County of Huntington,
declare November 2nd to be Kim League Day in Huntington County.
Further, we call on our community to continue supporting the Kim League’s
efforts in the coming years, and to always build up and support our
community’s youth.
A proclamation was also presented by Indiana State Senator Andy Zay, who has his own personal connections to the Kim League both as a player and through watching his own children play.
“It’s an awfully exciting time for anything to last for 60 years,” Zay said. “The amount of volunteers, the amount of children that are dedicated to your program, not only are they learning how to win but learning how to lose and learning how to be a good teammate. And it certainly embodies the values of the YMCA.”
To wrap up the event, Sports Director Shanon Spaulding shared the sports pledge that athletes will read before every game. Spaulding also pointed out that the pledge applies to the parents just as much as it does their children on the court. The pledge reads:
“As a participant in Kim League basketball, I promise to uphold the values of the YMCA. Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. I pledge to be honest in all that I do on and off the court. With integrity and fairness, knowing that my actions reflect who I am. I pledge to show respect to everyone in the game - the coaches, referees, teammates, opponents and the facility. I will listen, learn and strive to improve while treating others the way I would like to be treated. I pledge to take responsibility for my behavior and actions whether I win or lose, understanding that my effort, attitude and teamwork are more important than the score. And everything I do, I will embrace the YMCA mission to build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. I will work hard, have fun and contribute to a positive and safe environment for everyone. Together, we can grow as players and people on the court and beyond.”
After reciting the pledge and listening to a rendition of the National Anthem, Kim League players took the floor for a day filled with basketball games. More information about YMCA schedules can be found at huntintony.org.
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