Lorain, Ohio – For the past nine years, the Marquis McCall basketball tournament has provided children with a positive outlet while also raising awareness of the growing issue of gun violence.
Jacqueline Lewis, one of the organizers, told 19 News that she organized the tournament after losing her son Marquis McCall in a drive-by shooting in 2009. Lewis also lost her son, Leonard McCall Jr., to gun violence in 2024.
“We bring them all out here so we can have older guys talk to these kids and let them know in a quick second your life can be over,” according to Lewis. It’s not just about getting them together to play basketball.”
Leonard McCall Sr. told 19 News that it’s critical that the youth have something to do.
“Use their energy to play kickball and basketball, just to come together and enjoy each other,” McCall instructed them.
While the games became more intense, so did the conversations as they taught the kids how to handle conflict appropriately.
“The main thing is getting it into these kids heads about the violence,” Lewis informed us.
Tabatha Watson plays a significant role in making the tournament happen each year.
She told 19 News that without sponsors and community donations to hire security, they would not be able to provide the kids with this opportunity for free.
Watson’s son-in-law was shot and murdered, giving her a unique perspective that she is eager to share.
“When you take out someone’s parent now you leave kids, and they don’t have a father,” Watson claimed. “So the men that come out here and talk to these young ones, they become their father.”
A community hopes that each basket and conversation will save a life.
