Cornerstone sites confirmed for Mother’s Day Recognition events:

· Betances – 465 St. Ann’s Avenue, Bronx; Dir: Lisette Nieves, 718-585-5040
Saturday, May 11, 12 pm – 3 pm: Arts & Crafts, and cupcake making

· Edenwald – 1150 E. 229 St., Bronx; Dir: Errol Bedford, 718-652-0246
Saturday, May, 11, 12 pm – 2pm: Artwork and performance for mothers; 4 fathers, 25 mothers + children; partner with Friends of Island Academy Fatherhood program

· Dyckman – 3782 10th Avenue, Manhattan; Dir: Pete Mejia, 212-567-6069
Saturday, May 11, 11 am – 3 pm: cookout led by men from the development; photo montage

· Two Bridges – 286 South Street; Dir: Chi Yung, 212-385-9352
Saturday, May, 11 am – 1:45 pm: Picture frame-making, cooking, potting; 34 families anticipated

· Farragut – 228 York Street, Brooklyn; Dir: Michelle Cattouse, 718-852-6318
Saturday, May 11, 1 pm – 4 pm: arts & crafts; 15 fathers anticipated

· Ingersoll – 177 Myrtle Street, Brooklyn; Dir: Samantha Johnson, 718-522-5051
Saturday, May 11, 3 pm – 5 pm: Luncheon for mothers, guest speakers, presentations from youth

· Sumner – 862 Park Avenue, Brooklyn; Dir: Keludys Ogando, 718-919-3938
Saturday, May 11, 1 pm – 4pm: southern style cooking by men for mothers

· Redfern – 1544 Hassock Street, Queens; Dir: Denese Mars, 718-471-0360
Saturday, May 11, 12 pm – 2 pm: arts & crafts; 4 fathers anticipated

· Carter – 230 Broad Street, Staten Island; Dir: Debra Fredrick, 718-981-0500
Saturday, May 11, 12 pm – 2 pm: arts & crafts activities

The relationship between Wade and Allan Houston is the stuff of basketball legend, but not just because Wade coached his son throughout his amazingly successful tenure with the Vols. Houston Sr. served as the mentor and inspiration for much of what Allan has gone on to do since retiring from the New York Knicks, and the NBA, in 2005. The father son duo continue to work together, building Allan’s “Father Knows Best” program.

Wade and Allan Houston are not the only famous father/son, player/coach duo to have enjoyed a successful and rewarding relationship both on and off the basketball court. Here is a little about some more of these extraordinary pairings:

Homer and Bryce Drew

Current Valparaiso coach Bryce Drew’s job runs in the family, as his Dad Homer coached the team for twenty two years, but often with Bryce close by as well.

Bryce Drew did not have an easy time growing up. As he entered high school it was discovered that he suffered from a rapid heartbeat, and he had to undergo three surgeries before being declared fit to play again.

With his Dad’s unending encouragement though, Bryce did make a comeback, and was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball of 1994. Although heavily recruited by other schools, for college there was only one choice for Bryce in his mind – Valpo, to remain under the guidance of his father.

The playing highlight of the younger Drew’s career came in 1998, when he drained the improbable buzzer beater that began Valparaiso’s fairytale March Madness run, but in his four years under Homer he also scored three conference tournament MVP awards, two conference MVP awards, and is still Valparaiso’s all-time scoring, 3-point field goal, and assist leader.

After six seasons in the NBA, Bryce decided to retire and take an assistant coach’s position, on the bench right next to Homer at his alma mater. In 2011 Homer retired and Bryce took his place, as they had been planning he would for five years.

Press & Pete Maravich

Petar ‘Press’ Maravich was a colorful character, he earned his nickname for having a reputation, while still in high school, for being the one person who was always up to date on local gossip and happy to share his knowledge via ‘press’ style updates.

After a professional career that lasted four years, playing in both the NBA and BAA, Press decided to coach, eventually landing the job of head coach at LSU. In the meantime, his son Pete was showing every sign that he had what it took to make it big in basketball himself.

When it came to choosing which of the college offers Pete received he should take, Press was pretty adamant, telling his son, half in jest, that if he did not accept the offer from LSU he “If you don’t sign this … don’t ever come into my house again.”

Pete did go to LSU, where he became the star his father thought his could. Despite being excluded for

freshman year and the fact that he played in a time before the three point line was instituted, ‘Pistol’ Pete became, and still is, the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer with 3,667 points scored and an average of 44.2 points per game. he then went on to play for the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans (and later Utah) Jazz before knee problems forced an early retirement.

Pete’s devotion to his father was well known as well. When Press was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1985, Pete devoted himself to his care and treatment, allowing only a niece to help occasionally.

Sadly, Press passed away in 1987, having lived just long enough to see his son inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Just nine months later, Pete died suddenly, at the age of 40, as a result of a previously undisclosed heart condition.

Phog and Bobby Allen

Phog Allen is a legend in the history of college basketball coaching. Allen was one of the first coaches in any sport to encourage his players to use osteopathic manipulation techniques for injuries and he helped found the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the creators the NCAA tournament. There was also the small matter of successfully recruiting a kid called Wilt Chamberlin to his Kansas program.

Another of his great coaching successes was his own son, Bobby. Under his Dad’s reputably flamboyant guidance Bobby was chosen as an All-Big Six selection in 1939 and ’40, and he was instrumental in helping the Jayhawks to an NCAA runner-up finish in his senior year.

Michael and Steve Novak

The New York Knicks three point shooting specialist was coached by his father Michael for all four of the years he attended Brown Deer High School in Wisconsin. His Dad’s influence on his Steve’s career began far earlier than that though.

According to Michael and Steve’s Mom Jeanne his first attempts at making a basket were from his crib, as his father installed a mini basketball hoop that the young Novak was shooting for before he was a year old (a hoop that is now apparently installed over Steve’s young son Mack’s crib.)

Ray McCallum Sr. and Ray McCallum Jr.

In March, the University of Detroit Titans’ Ray McCallum Jr. was named was named the Horizon League Player of the Year after leading the Horizon League in scoring, with 18.7 points per game and guiding the Detroit Titans to a spot at in the 2013 National Invitation Tournament.

But in actual fact McCallum could have headed to a much bigger school, when he left high school three years ago, as he was heavily recruited by the likes of Florida, Kansas and Arizona. He still choose, Detroit though, not because of its’ program, but because he wanted to continue to be coached by his Dad, who has guided his basketball career since he was a toddler.

Whether or not Ray Jr. decides to skip his senior year and declare for the NBA draft this year remains to be seen, but this close father and son seem to have the makings of another successful basketball father son coaching story.

It’s who you are and how you conduct yourself, consistently, daily. It’s how your actions grow out of your identity in Christ. It’s the way you act when you are miles away from your family on a business trip. It’s how you respond when you are the object of advances from a coworker. It’s what you say when a neighbor gossips or a boss pressures you to fudge on the budget.

Character is who you are when no one’s watching. But count on it, your kids will watch. They’ll pick up on a wandering eye or little white lies. They’ll sense deception if you try to paint a rosy picture of your marriage when it’s more thorns than flowers. Little eyes watch; little ears listen. They notice everything. They see how you are in public and in private. They have a knack for exposing respectable frauds. When you live under the same roof, it’s hard to hide the glaring inconsistencies.

When the phone rings, your spouse answers it, and you silently mouth, “Tell her I’m not here,” don’t be surprised when your daughter lies to you in order to get herself out of an awkward jam with her grades or her boyfriend.

I’ve heard it a thousand times. A child takes an unwise detour in high school or college, and the parents come to me saying, “We don’t understand. We raised him in the church.”

And I want to ask, “But what did you model for him in the home?”

Chris Dewelt, professor of missions at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, put it like this:

I am to be the same person whether I am holding a communion tray in my hand or a remote control. I am to be the same person whether I am in a hotel room five hundred miles from home or in the family room with my kids. I am to be the same person when I am reading my Bible or browsing through a bookstore. I am to be the same person whether I am on break at work or if I am walking through the sanctuary of my church. For what matters is my integrity, my purity, and my faithfulness.

God expects us to be genuine, to do what we say we’ll do, and to be who we claim to be.

Duplicity is not only exhausting, but it’s also damaging to the ones we love. Pretending wreaks havoc in our homes and sends mixed signals to the children we are trying to lead.

What does the Bible say about consistency?

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. — 1 John 2:3-6 (NKJV)

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. — 1 Corinthians15:58 (NIV)

You need not swear an oath—any impulse to do so is of evil. Simply let your “yes” be “yes,” and let your “no” be “no.” — Matthew 5:37(The Voice)

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. — Revelation 3:15-16

Read more from Dave Stone’s Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord.

Friday, Knoxville Christian School broke ground on their new school gym, called The Wade and Allan Houston Court. Wade was a former coach and Allan was a star player who went on to great success with the New York Knicks in the N-B-A.

The school’s students got to be a part of the ceremony..

Teachers say the Houston’s support the school and work with children on special projects.

Naming the gym after the Houstons is their way of saying thank you.

“The Houston family are some of the most special people you’ll ever meet. We’re so fortunate here at KCS to have the Houston name associated with Knoxville Christian School, and we just feel very very blessed for the future and the vision of where we’re going, ” said Richard Komistek, the Chairman of the KCS Board of Directors.

The school is still working on a completion date for the gym. The facility will also include new classroom space.

Courtesy of: wbir.com

With 4.5 seconds left in Game 5 of the 1999 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Knicks were trailing the Miami Heat 77-76. In this do-or-die situation in the old five-game first-round playoff format, one team was moving on to the second round, for the other team, it would mean the end of their season.

Charlie Ward inbounded the ball to Houston, who then split defenders, Tim Hardaway and Dan Majerle, and hoisted up a prayer from the right side of the free-throw line. The ball hit the front rim, then the backboard, and dropped in so gently as if it were meticulously planned.

Former Knicks play-by-play announcer, Gus Johnson, sets the tone as always in this visual/audio trip down memory lane.

Believe it or not, this isn’t the biggest moment of Houston’s playing career. He says that the clinching game against the Indiana Pacers to send them to the Finals later in these playoffs was it for him.

Also, his first child was born the morning after that so it was a indeed a memorable two days for Houston.

Pastor Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church, Miami HEAT Champion and founder of the Wade’s World Foundation, Dwyane Wade, and New York Knicks Assistant General Manager and founder of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, Allan Houston, today announced their plans to host a Fatherhood & Family Panel Discussion, which will take place at Lakewood Church on February 15, 2013 during the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston, TX.

Addressing the fatherlessness issue across the country and continuing their commitment for change, the panelists will discuss the importance of fatherhood and family. The event will be moderated by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien. Additional panelists will include Former NBA player Etan Thomas who has written the book Fatherhood “Rising To The Ultimate Challenge” and spoken extensively on the subject of family and fatherhood.

“Equipping men to be better fathers is a significant part of our mission at Lakewood Church and one that I believe in wholeheartedly. We are honored to host such an important event and to work with Allan Houston, Dwyane Wade, Etan Thomas, and others who care so deeply about this crucial issue,” stated Pastor Joel Osteen.

“The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation has been at the forefront of educating the public about the importance of fatherhood and strengthening the family unit for years,” stated Allan Houston. “Now it is our goal to unify members of the NBA community and beyond in one arena to promote this cause. We are ecstatic to be able to partner with Dwyane, Joel and their organizations for what is sure to be a groundbreaking event.”

“Being a father to my boys is something I take very seriously,” said Dwyane Wade. “This event will bring us together with a unified goal to voice the significance of fatherhood and family and help further my continued efforts with the Wade’s World Foundation and its mission.”

The panel discussion will be held on Friday, February 15, 2013 at Lakewood Church (3700 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX) at 7:30pm. The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and will include prizes and giveaways for select participants.

Not so long ago Allan Houston made a stop in Erie, Pennsylvania.

This is not unusual, he is after all the Assistant General Manager of the New York Knicks, and GM of the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA development league. Although Houston was there for basketball related reasons it was not to demonstrate his solid basketball skills or to talk business, but to introduce his ‘Father Knows Best’ program to the people of Erie County.

When most people hear about Houston’s program they immediately think it is all about connecting fathers with sons.

However, whenever Houston stages these clinics there is also an importance on connecting fathers with their daughters.

All too often the importance of a father in a girl’s life is overlooked. There are a lot of single moms out there doing a wonderful job of raising their daughters but there are many things that a father – or a strong father figure – can give to a young woman.

Reiterating the importance of their role in their daughter’s lives is mentored through the ‘Father Knows Best’ program something that Houston takes great pride in. As you would expect from someone who is a father to five daughters.

Its easier to think about shooting hoops as a father and son thing, but girls enjoy the same interaction as well, whether it is playing basketball – which yes, lots of girls like to do – or simply having their father involved in what they do. It’s something that is really important for a girl, no matter what age.

Through the ‘Father Knows Best’ program Houston is one of the few people emphasizing that.

And that’s a pretty wonderful thing.

From: youtube

“Kids without fathers are five times more likely to be incarcerated before the age of 24″: Source: Sara S. McLanahan. “Father Absence and Youth Incarceration.” Journal of Research on Adolescence. We have the opportunity to go to the source of the problem and help provide the tools needed to improve communication and support better family relationships,” stated Allan Houston, former NBA All-Star for the New York Knicks. “We’re excited to bring the Father Knows Best program to Erie and have the support of the Erie BayHawks, Penelec, United Way, Erie Together, East High School and a host of others. I would also like to personally thank the families of Erie, PA for welcoming us. This is an excellent opportunity to support the growth and development of young adults, as well as families.”

“We’re grateful that Allan is bringing this program to Erie and the BayHawks are honored to partner with his Foundation” stated Erie BayHawks President Matt Bresee. “The program is sure to have a positive impact on the Erie community and for that we are excited about helping such a great event.”

The innovative “Father Knows Best” program is a unique combination of high-powered basketball and learning activities for fathers-children and mentors -mentees. Participants will engage in activities that emphasize leadership, communication and the importance of fatherhood, mentoring and strong families. Open to the public, this free event welcomes the Erie community to change the game on Fatherhood and Mentoring!

Participants and sponsors of the event have the opportunity to take to the court, play alongside their fathers/mentors in various shooting competitions, attend workshops on life skills development, receive gift bags, awards and prizes, among other items. In the weeks following the event, participants of this program will engage in activities that emphasize leadership, communication and the importance of spending quality time together covering the curriculum topics of Faith, Integrity, Sacrifice, Leadership and Legacy.

ABOUT ALLAN HOUSTON’S FATHER KNOWS BEST PROGRAM

Developed by the Assistant General Manager of the New York Knicks and General Manager of the Erie BayHawks, Allan Houston, and his father Wade, Father Knows Best is a signature program of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation (AHLF). This community program combines high-powered basketball with relationship-development activities, and has been recognized by the Obama administration as an important tool to help solve the crisis of absentee fatherhood in America. Through its basketball clinics, learning sessions, panel discussions and sports competitions, Father Knows Best creates a safe environment for participants to reconnect, discuss sensitive topics, compete against each other and ultimately share an experience that will last a lifetime.

As an extension of the Father Knows Best Basketball Program, through its FISLL Curriculum (Faith, Integrity, Sacrifice, Leadership, and Legacy) AHLF provides the opportunity to extend the relationship-building activities beyond the one-day clinic into a seven-week ongoing leadership curriculum. Additional information on Allan Houston’s Father Knows Best Program is available at www.allanhouston.com/fkbnation.

Courtesy of: nba.com

This year, Houston received the President’s Council on Service and Civic Engagement Award from the Obama administration. When Houston’s not manning his posts as Assistant GM of the Knicks and GM of the D-League’s Erie BayHawks, he’s running his Legacy Foundation, which includes the “Father Knows Best” program. Its mission is to provide a unique combination of basketball and relationship-building activities for fathers, children, mentors and mentees, emphasizing leadership, communication and the importance of spending quality time together. Some of the statistics are staggering: According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, 90 percent of all runaway and homeless children are from fatherless homes; 75 percent of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes and 71 percent of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.

On Saturday, the iStar Charity Shootout Five Borough Basketball Tour hosted the “Father Knows Best” program to raise money for Houston’s fatherhood initiative. 2,500 participants took part in basketball clinics and relationship development. During the event, I sat down with Houston, who is currently co-producing a film project addressing fatherlessness, for a candid conversation about the issues he’s tackling.

Jared Zwerling: How was today’s experience?
Allan Houston: I just love getting a chance to hear from the young men and women. The uniqueness of our event is that you feel like, as a coach and as a father, you’re talking with other fathers and coaches about the impact they’re having on the kids’ lives. So then what you do is you translate that on the court. You teach a father, coach or mentor how to do certain basketball drills, how to train them. On the court, it kind of translates because you’re doing these drills together. Sometimes the father may make a mistake or something, or the daughter may make a mistake, but the message is that the job of a parent, a father, is to train them to be the best that they can possibly be according to our experience and knowledge. That’s why we named it “Father Knows Best.” That’s our ultimate legacy. That’s the most important thing. There are so many issues in society — we talk about the violence, the drugs, the unwanted pregnancies — but at the end of the day, it comes down to what we taught our children to be. This is where society has been affected. Kids going to school and stabbing someone. What makes a kid want to do that? Because he’s missing something at home. We can’t look at the aftereffect; we have to look at the source, so to me that’s why this is important. Fatherhood, mentoring, teaching and training.

Zwerling: What do you try to instill in the fathers, mentors and coaches?
Houston: First of all, as a man the most important thing you have in your life now is your child that you’re carrying. That’s it. Everything else comes second; personally, for me, other than your relationship with God and your wife. Let’s talk about how you can be most effective at being a father. I had a conversation with a guy. He said, “This kid is having trouble; he’s not listening to his mom.” And so we just talked together and I broke it down. I said to the kid, “The bottom line is, your job when you graduate, you’re going to have a coach, you’re going to have an employer that’s going to need to trust you that you can do your job, do what you’re supposed to do. If you’re not practicing that or working on that right now, you’re going to fail. Talk to your mentor. Form those foundations and habits now. We’re using the game of basketball to teach those deep truths and lessons to a seventh grader who doesn’t have a dad. That’s what it’s all about.

Read more at: espn.com

Sunday, the day Tennessee’s all-time scoring leader had his jersey number retired at Thompson-Boling Arena, the author of 2,801 points from 1989-93 talked about the other Houstons.

He left Louisville, Ky., and a scholarship with the national power Louisville Cardinals to come to UT to play for his father, Wade Houston.

“Having the opportunity to play for my father,’’ Houston said, “no matter how many wins or losses or stats, I believe being here was so much about me growing and learning how to be a young man.

“So when I look at my number, my jersey going up, and my kids can come back, and people see my number going up, I hope they remember more about the name Houston and what that really means, and what that name is, rather than the actual number itself.’’

Houston, 39, brought his six children back to campus Sunday, along with wife Tamara. The family home is in Connecticut, from where Houston commutes to his job as assistant general manager with the NBA’s New York Knicks.

Read the full article here: govolsxtra.com