3rd Annual Increase the Peace Stop the Violence Blacktop Classic

"In a single year, 3,012 children and teens were killed by gunfire in the United States.That is one child every three hours, eight children every day."

Hello my name is Jeff Harper Harris. I want to let you know what we are trying to accomplish on September 2, 2012. I have coached basketball for 22 years, Professionally (Mexico), High School, AAU, BCI, PAL, and National Travel Club. I started the San Diego "Cougars" Basketball Club in 1993 after the death of my two brothers due to gang violence. My older brother was shot 5 times in 1992, and a year later my 16 year old brother was shot and killed. I have coached at Morse High School as an assistant and later Head Coach and as well several other High Schools through the years, most recently as an assistant at Lincoln High during the 2009-2010 season, and now as a assistant coach with the Bishop Girls. I also worked with adidas Phenom as the Director of Basketball Operation for the last 9 years.

I swore to help keep kids off the streets and out of gangs for as long as possible. Our organization grew to where we had kids from throughout San Diego County playing for the Cougars. The organization was about helping to teach the game of basketball fundamentals while handling life’s lessons and promoting education. As an organization we have helped many young men and women get into college and become positive people within the community inside and outside of San Diego, CA.

I have observed many young people killed in my community and/or seeing them still going to prison. Thus the growing violence is obviously a major concern to all. Many of these young people were student athletes and had bright futures ahead of them. What really affected me was that they were a parent’s son or daughter. Also students who are bullied in the schools and are cheated out f getting a education.

On September 2, 2012 Jackie Robinson YMCA, LBAthletics, 3 Point Play. No Politics Athletics, GPA Scouting and Educated Hoops are partnering to sponsor the 3rd Annual "Increase The Peace Stop The Violence Blacktop Classic". We will have a number of San Diego’s top high school players and middle school players participating in this event. It will be played on the Outside Blacktop Court outside at the celebrated Jackie Robinson Family YMCA.

We are in the process of inviting many distinguished individuals from throughout San Diego attend this historic event. We want people to know that we are all God’s children and need to work together to make it a safer place for all kids.

This year will be targeting bullying in the schools. We will be asking all players and parents to join the team to stop bullying. 160,000 students miss school each day due to bullying. We will be asking all to join the team to stop bullying at www.sears.com/teamup

We are looking for good quality people who are interested in helping stop the violence, High Schools, Colleges, Political Officials, SDPD, anybody that want to contribute. Educated Hoops, a non-profit organization, affiliated with San Diego Cougars P.R.E.P. with a motto of "Education First, Play Hard Second" will also be heavily involved. We are asking all basketball clubs to support this event, and understand it is about saving lives, not winning games. Everybody wins when we stop losing young people to these streets and helping kids to get a education without being bullied.

We want to bring people from all walks of life together to bring attention to the violence that continues to plague our communities and schools. We are asking our kids to take a stand at their schools against gang violence and bullying.

If interested please email me at jharp.harris@gmail.com or call me at (619) 871-2247 .

Thanks

Jeff Harper Harris

"Every 7 minutes a child is bullied; 85% of the time, there is no intervention of any kind"

"Bullying is a leading factor in suicide among kids 11-16 years old"

"43% of middle school children avoid the bathroom and locker rooms at all costs due to certainty of being bullied"