Bailey's Community Center 8th Grade team showed great improvement in loss to BRYC

Article 6, Volume 6

BCC Raiders lose 68-43 to Braddock Road Youth Club

The BCC Raiders showed up, with confidence, for the first time this season, and played with intensity. Their confidence was evident. 

Still, they loss to a well coached, and highly talented BRYC team.

The team's growth was most evident in the second half, as they scored more points than they had scored in any of the previous 3 games.

Henok Dantew tallied 20 points and Devin Matthews followed with 13 point. These two players have been nibbling at playing up to their potential all year, and in this game they appeared to be on the way to having a good season. However, this is contingent on them staying focused during the games and in practice. 

Coach Calvin Barnes has done a marvelous job working with the team.  Most of the players are playing organized basketball for the first time.

We are happy with the support of the parents and community. The stands are nearly filled for every home game for all three BCC teams.

Our appreciation also goes out to the BCC director, Gregory Williams, Jr.  His input and contribution is evident.

Keep on pushing Raiders!!

              Copyright 2015. Grady E. Bryant



Gregory Williams, Jr is the new Director at Bailey's Community Center

In October 2014 Gregory Williams, Jr  became the Director of Bailey's Community Center.

Chonn Lacey's tenure as director of Bailey's Community Center ends on Saturday, October 18,2014 at 11:59 p.m.

Article 1 Volume 4                                                                                  October 16, 2014

Mr. Chonn Lacey will be taking his management skills from Bailey's Community Center to another Community Center in Fairfax County

     Mr. Lacey spent about seven years as director of Bailey's Community Center.

     During his tenure many changes occurred.

     Let us reflect on the way things were at various times, or in part, before Mr. Lacey arrived. 

     The year he arrived we had seven youth basketball teams participating in the county league and several parents assisting the teams.  We had 3 championship teams.  More than 80 children participated on or in team activities.  Some of our games drew a bigger crowd than Stuart High School.

       Also, before his arrival we had softball, soccer and other sports for the children. 

     It was good to go outside at night and play basketball.  The rims had nets and the lights for the basketball court were turned on.  

     Educational trips for the youth and adults occurred regularly.  We sponsored bus trips to New York city more than once.  Also, trips to amusement parks as far as New Jersey and Williamsburg, Virginia were made.

    The little bit of money we had was well spent. 

     The community center was a place where adults of all ages enjoyed coming to in the day and at night. All the rooms were open for usage.  Now, the game room is virtually off limits and locked on weekends.

    You could walk in the center almost any day and you would not find that the staff outnumbered the participants.

   Yep, that is the way it was before and shortly after Mr. Lacey arrived.

    Mr. Chonn Lacey is a good person and we will miss him at Bailey's Community Center. 

    On behalf of several members of the community, I sincerely congratulate Mr. Lacey on his new assignment and hope that he will have much success in his work and life. 

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The opinions expressed in this journal are strictly those of Grady E. Bryant, Sr. based on his experience, opinions and observation.  No other person can be held accountable for any comments.

         Copyright 2014. Grady E. Bryant

Community Group lay foundation for launching new association for youths.It will be known as 'Bailey's Crossroads Youth Association'

Article 6, Volume 3                                                                                 December 22, 2013

The Bailey's Crossroads Youth Association was formed for all youths in the Bailey's Crossroads community

On Thursday, December 12, 2013, I met with several members of the community or persons who have an interest in the welfare of  youths in the community. We discussed the lack of an organization in the community that is dedicated to providing assistance to youths of the total community in culture and athletic development. We agreed to organized, on this day,  a youth association..  It will be known as the Bailey's Crossroads Youth Association. It will be an independent association, organized under the laws of Virginia. Also, we are going to acquire 501(c) 3 status.

We are going to have a board of directors and membership privileges will be extended to the whole community.

This organization will help enable the youths in the community to get involved in a variety of activities. Basketball will be just one of our activities.

We are counting on receiving lots of help, financially, and hands on, from the community. So, standby, we may be calling on you or sending you or your organization a letter requesting support.

Reverend Kenny Baldwin, pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church, Bailey's Crossroads, VA was elected to serve as president.

Our organizing process will continue at our next meeting on January 9, 2014 at 7 p.m. at the Bailey's Community Center.

Community Picnic: The Springdale Civic Association is hosting the Bailey Crossroads Annual Community Picnic from 1 pm til 8 pm, Saturday, August 24, 2013 at the Bailey's Community Center

Springdale Civic Association Annual Picnic

The Springdale Association is hosting and sponsoring the annual picnic on August 24, 2013 at the Bailey's Community Center.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hall is the Chairperson for the event. Of course, there will be plenty of volunteers to assist in making the picnic a success.

There will be plenty of free food at the beginning of the event. Can't say what will be left after 3 pm.

There will be games, music, and rides.

The whole community is invited.

Mrs. Hall has worked hard to prepare for this event. Her classic potato salad is on the menu. I mean, just to come by and get a scoop of her salad on your plate may be worth the time you spend at the picnic.

Come on out and have a good time and greet some of your old friends from the past. 

Bailey Community Center has gym, money, uniforms, and players but no teams

In the 60's and 70's the Afro -American citizens of Bailey Crossroads lobbied for a recreation center  to be built in the community.  Their plea continually fell on deaf ears.  A breakthrough came in 1976 at a Fairfax County board of supervisors meeting, about 1 a.m. in the morning. It was reported that the board had approximately $250,000 of unobligated Federal Block grant money to dispense.  Colonel Charles Robinson (retired military), a member of the Springdale Civic Association, seized the opportunity to request that the funds be used to build a community center in Baileys Crossroads.  The board consented.

In 1978 the center was completed and opened for business.  It was named, Bailey's Community Center. 

Walter Hawkins, a graduate of Utah University, was hired as the director. He held the position for over 27 years.

(to be continued)

Bailey's Community Center gets much needed repairs. We appreciate Penny Gross help.

Last winter the gym floor was restored and painted and new lights were installed.  After these repairs the citizens started coming back to the gym in large numbers to play basketball and participate in other activities on the gym floor.

Since the repairs, the center director has implemented procedures to protect the costly gym floor from abuse by users.

It is now Fall season, and the gym is still looking good.

We thank Penny Gross, Mason District Supervisor, for her assistance in the gym's restoration.

As a practice, I don't generally write about politicians and politics. However, as an exception, I want the community and county folks to know that Penny is a person who cares and she reaches out to help persons in her district and the county in many ways that are not known to the general public.

I would be remiss, if I don't mention that Bailey's Community Center does not have a single youth basketball team participating in a league in the county.

Four years ago we had 7 teams, 17 volunteers, plenty of uniforms, all the money we needed and more than 70 kids ready to play.   What happen? To get my version of the collapse, you must read the Guardian exclusive story on November 10th. 

Bailey's Community Center Gym Floor Appears to Be Unsafe for Basketball

Article 1 Vol 1

                                                                BCC News

Have you been inside the gym recently? I mean the basketball court. Thursday, December 22, I walked in the gym and saw the children just slipping and sliding why trying to play a game. The floor is real slippery. It has been that way for at least, I believe, three months.

Karate class is held three times a week in the gym for children. To the disgust of the teacher and students, the slippery floor causes many of them to slip and fall, and risk injury, while doing the various drills. 
The floor is not the only problem. I looked up and noticed that five (5) lights in the ceiling were out and two (2) more were very dim. Thus it was kind of dark in the gym. But wait, these lights did not just go out. Three of them have been out since October 2010, and the other two since, I believe, the spring of 2011. How can this be true in a county where so much pride is expressed about taking care of its facilities for youths?

The director says that he has requested the bulbs be installed several times, but his request has not been honored.
Bailey's is a community center that is in a neighborhood of primarily minorities. Its participants are mostly Africans, Muslims, and Latinos.
I have been asked by children and adults to explain how come our gym looks so bad?
The answer is beyond me.Maybe somebody should ask Pam Washington. She is the number one, advocate, in my opinion, to make sure that basketball teams are not organized for youths. It is my belief, based on my experience; she is the only person in the community the county officials listen to. A slippery floor and dark gym can almost guarantee that no organize basketball will be played in the gym. I'm not going to comment much on the string-less rims and dirty backboards at this time. However, the pictures below show you the dirty backboards, stringless rims, lights out, and the spot  on the floor where it is dangerous to run or exercise.
.(You can see more of my report on BCC at: http://www.gebryant53.blogspot.com/ or Google, Grady E. Bryant's Expressions).