On the evening of Thursday, December 4, the William Floyd School District, alongside the boys’ varsity basketball team, held its first-ever Darrell Sumpter Memorial Game. It was an evening of remembrance, reflection, and generosity, topped off with a win.
“Coach D” passed away suddenly and tragically a year ago in a car accident on Sunrise Highway. He was someone who left a deep impact and lasting love in and for his own community. A year later, we are still talking about him and finding ways to honor his legacy.
Prior to the non-league matchup against Sachem North, a statement was read as the usually noisy gym sat completely silent. A well-written piece spoke of Coach D’s accomplishments and the heart behind everything he did. He lived for something bigger than himself and that was obvious in everything he did. He lived for the community, the team, and the individual kids that walked into the gym. Darrell ran the youth basketball programs, open gym nights, and started the basketball team’s Booster Club, which helped countless kids with items they needed to play the game effectively. It also helped their families and their future endeavors, as needed.
This evening honored his life and legacy well. His spouse and children were present, selling T-shirts to help fund the Darrell Sumpter Scholarship Fund. A few handfuls of alumni were in attendance, some who played under Assistant Coach Darrell and others who went to school with him. The Colonials concluded an emotional evening together as a community with a convincing win over Sachem North by a score of 63-51.
On a much more personal note, I knew Coach D and have watched his devotion to these kids and the community over the years. His car was always full of kids who didn’t have a ride to get to the gym or to practice. His home and his personal pockets were open to kids who found themselves in need. He was even known to help kids who weren’t necessarily basketball players but simply neighbors in need.
A little under a year prior to his untimely passing at age 51, I felt the personal urge to write an individual story on Coach Darrell. Not necessarily on the team or it’s much success at the time, but on him and everything he’s done for this community. Of course, he pushed off and deflected any praise he was to receive towards other people and his players. Even that speaks volumes about the type of man that he was.
Not surprisingly, “The Muscle Behind the Hustle” ended up being my most read and shared story on social media, twice in a year span, both while he was with us and after he was gone. A day after his passing, one of the teachers in the William Floyd School District made a board with the story’s name and his commonly used motivational quotes for his players, many of which were in her class at the time. I’m glad that I followed my heart’s prompting and took the time to write that story on just him and him alone. He deserved it, and he’s undoubtedly missed.
“Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” – It’s a Wonderful Life
