George Booker

If you don’t do homework, you shouldn’t be at the park. Stay in school and listen to the park staff.

George Booker

My name is George Booker. I was born December 21, 1955. I grew up in this area. As a kid I really didn’t get attention at home. There were a lot of bad things going on in my house. For me to remove myself from the house, I played football and baseball in Powderhorn Park.

It touches my heart having you guys sit here listening to me. My self-esteem wasn’t high back when I was your age. Once I put equipment on though, I was like Superman. I was another person. I liked that person. I was a shy kid. I played football so I could vent my frustrations out on the field instead of on the block. It helped mold the person I am today.

I went to college at Augsburg College and got a degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling. While doing that I got a job at the park. I knew the guy who was coaching. The next thing I know, I come down here to volunteer and now it’s been eight or nine years coaching. I love working with kids.

I look at the guy who mentored me along when I was a youngster and this is a way for me to give back. Folks ask me do I get I paid to coach. I say, “No, but the reward is seeing youngsters from the start of the season accomplish something great for themselves at the end of the season.” I tell the children, “If you can succeed here in the park, you can succeed outside of the park.”

Volunteering is a commitment. I volunteer five days a week and we practice from two to seven each day. That’s 30 hours a week! If I could would volunteer in all the parks. I coach football, basketball and baseball.

I want kids to have fun. I want them to Learn. When they learn, I learn. The one thing they help me with is my patience.

Sometimes kids’ parents don’t show up, so I’m the one to give encouraging words. The coach becomes their surrogate father.

I’ve sat with parents and talked about other problems their kids were having. One kid was in a gang and playing football. I asked him, “Do you want to be in a gang or play football? What good are you going to get out of the gang compared to the good you are going to get out of football?” I give them a choice.

I am at the point where age is not a factor to me. As long as I can continue to coach and play basketball and softball, I am happy.