LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Between squeaks and swishes, in the back of this Okolona church, one voice calmed the court Tuesday night.
Will Pitts: some in the group call him dad, but Tuesday night they all called him coach.
"I mean he came from a lot," his son Chris Will told WHAS11 News. "He doesn't want his sons, his kids like us, to go through what he went through."
Tuesday was the inaugural night for a new series in Louisville called Shoot Balls Not Guns. It's Pitt's latest push to enhance the good in Louisville and eliminate the bad.
"I always say I was part of the problem at one point so now I want to be a part of the solution," Pitts said.
In a city where Louisville Metro Police has reported three shooting victims under the age of 17 and at least one teen charged with murder so far this year, Pitts is pressing for change.
It's a play to prevent youth violence, connecting kids and their families with a hot meal, local resources and a game everyone in Louisville loves.
"What kid doesn't like the gym?" Pitts asked.
They're hoping to get kids involved from around the metro, and Pitts is planning to bring the monthly event to community centers across the city.
"You can always play basketball, young and old, you can play basketball," his son said.
The coaching, meals and uniforms were all paid for out of pocket. Pitts and his wife own a childcare center called MooMoo's Child Enrichment Center.
They've used the profits to fund a non-profit called Willenium Enterprise Foundation - helping with expungement, credit restoration, childcare and now Shoot Balls Not Guns.
"I want to make sure that kids understand that people love them," Pitts said.
With every dribble and drill, it's a drop in the bucket towards the community effort it will take to keep Louisville and the kids who call it home on the right track.
Dates and locations for future events have not been shared, but you can keep up with the organization here.
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