Augusta Boys & Girls Club to host Stop the Violence basketball tournament

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The E.W. Hagler Boys & Girls Club is hosting the Stop the Violence Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 7, at 1903 Division St.

The tournament, which begins at 9 a.m., was organized by the teens themselves, who said they are tired of seeing violence in their neighborhoods.

The event was created by Xzavier Neal, a senior at ARC who has been a Boys & Girls Club member since fourth grade.

“I watched how violence has changed not just my life, but a lot of my peers’ life and how it’s taking people, not just from me, but a lot of people in my community,” Neal said. “And I didn’t like it. It’s really sad.”

Neal brought the idea to Amisha Webb, a Life and Workforce Readiness Program Specialist at the Boys & Girls Club.

“He said, you know, Ms. Misha, we can’t continue to be a product of our environment and not having positive role models,” Webb said. “And I said, okay, well, what does that look like? And he was like, I want to do a basketball tournament.”

Webb said she is proud of the students involved in organizing the event.

“I’m extremely proud of all of them, just for the simple fact that they are thinking outside the box and trying to find new ways to be impactful,” Webb said.

Community organizations including GAP Ministries and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office will be present at the event with services and support for families. Webb said teen homelessness is on the rise in the community.

Neal said the goal is to bring more young people through the doors of the Boys & Girls Club.

“I see negative stuff every day so much. I just want to see a day full of positive stuff,” Neal said. “That’s my plan.”

“I’d rather go out and do something than sit here and just talk about it and watch it happen,” Neal said. “If I can make a change, we’re going to change it.”

The tournament is Saturday at the E.W. Hagler Club on Division Street, beginning at 9 a.m. Concessions and a raffle will also be available to support the Boys & Girls Club and its violence prevention services.

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