By Aaron Allen
The Seattle Medium
In Religion it is said, “train up a child in the way he/she should go, even when he/she is old they will not depart from it”.
Terrell Elmore the coordinator and head coach of the CD Panthers exemplifies that passage. Like a shepherd, as I watched him maneuver around the field, he was watching over his players like a shepherd watches over sheep.
Elmore has been coaching little league football for 21 years. The unique aspect to this is he has never moved from his age group of 8 and 9 year olds in that 21 years. His commitment to developing young boys into men starts at their beginning.
“This is my 21st year with CD Panthers, all on the same level, I never moved up with kids,” says Elmore. “I’ve stayed with the 8U or the 89ers, I’ve been here the whole ride.”
Born and raised in Seattle, Elmore is one of those Seattleites where his pride in his upbringing and the Central District in which he grew up is unwavering. You find that here in these parts. A graduate of Garfield High School in 1989, Elmore revels in his commitment to his community.
Even more so, he loves coaching youth football! Not because of the love of the game, but because he deeply believes in the concept of giving back. He believes in the idea of mentorship, manhood and the protecting and shaping of the community’s youth.
“I got my love for coaching working with the legendary coach of Garfield – Ahern,” says Elmore, with a growing sense of pride in his voice. “I used to film games for him and loved watching film and that’s where I got the love of the coaching. I played my senior year in high school, but working with Ahern and watching film is where I developed my love for coaching.”
Coach Elmore is a staunch advocate for positive and productive participation in developing a healthy environment for the community’s children to grow and thrive. More importantly he looks to set the example of how men, particularly Black men, must take full responsibility in setting positive examples and engage in mentorship in whatever form they choose. Whether through education, sports, whatever conduit, Elmore believes that we must encourage our youth to become the best persons they can be.
Elmore’s inspiration to stay involve in the community evolved from a different source. According to Elmore, he was inspired, when living in Yakima, by a boxing coach by the name of Lee Como, who was very influential in the neighborhood. Elmore says it was Como, by action and example, that inspired him to care about and look out for the best interest of our youth.
“He took care of us,” recalls Elmore. “So, if anything I got it from his example.”
Of course, in the Black community one avenue in which we have found success in actively engaging and motivating our children to achieve is through sports.
The CD Panthers football program, an off-shoot of the CAYA football program established in the late 1960s by Charles Jackson, has been Elmore’ primary source of engaging with his community. In 1997, Jackson handed the coaching reigns over to Elmore and he has not ventured off the path since. With commitment, compassion and a philosophy centered on the emotional pulse of the children and the community, Elmore has embraced the leadership role given to him.
“This is my time and I know that pretty soon I am going to have to pass this thing on,” says Elmore. “But my thing is, this is the standard that I‘ve set, I’m setting it up for the next coach, just like Mr. Jackson 21 years ago gave me the opportunity.”
One aspect of Elmore’s coaching style is that he greets his young athletes with a hug.
“When you see me out here with my kids I don’t high five my kids, I give them hugs,” Elmore explains. “I give hugs to the grown folks, and that’s the thing, some of the kids have never had a hug from a man, it’s the small things [that make a difference].”
Seattle’s African American community, as most are aware, has been splintered over the past 20 years. Black families that once peppered and dominated the Central District landscape were scatter into the southern winds. From Rainier Beach to Federal Way Black families migrated forced by gentrification.
But men like Elmore have dedicated their community service to the memory of a time long past with hopes of at least instilling the communal idea, that identity, a vibrant, Black community, which is now long gone called the Central District, the CD.
Elmore and his staff work to maintain that ideology through the CD Panther organization. Elmore encourages community participation. Kids he’s coached have come back in some form or fashion to contribute their success to the next generation.
Fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles give their time and energy to provide their children with the safest, enjoyable experience surrounded by learning and competitive sport.
“It’s a family atmosphere here” says Elmore. “As a football community we have our issues, but it’s really a tradition here, pretty soon I will be the old man sitting in the stands watching what I created.”
Elmore’s goal is to give these young people an alternative, choices. He is well aware of the pitfalls and temptations the streets and the world can impose on the minds of children.
“Coaching saved my life too,” says Elmore. “Coaching was really about getting my life together, it changed me, that’s what inspired me to bring this to another level beyond football.”
According to Elmore as he ponders the path he took to get here, he witnesses the diversity in his kids.
“We all have different backgrounds, people raise their kids differently, explains Elmore. “We got the hard head kids, we have the kids attached to momma, we have the confident kids, we are doing both football and psych 101 to figure these kids out to make sure they have a good experience and understand that there are people here that generally love them.”
So through sport and community service Elmore does his part in making sure the idea of Black community, the idea of community responsibility, giving back, community stewardship and love for our children is not lost.
Elmore also encourages his past players to return and offer guidance and mentorship to the new generation and it is working.
Reggie Jones, who played on the New Orleans Saints championship team, who played youth football in Seattle is one of those mentors that visits and provides leadership whenever the opportunity presents itself.
“There is a lot of talent here,” said Jones. “A lot of boys who want to be great and I’m here to help them be what they want to be in any way I can.”
Over the years, Elmore has seen generations of our children grow from childhood into adulthood and become successful and productive people. He has coached fathers, uncles, nephews and sons and with each generation they are greeted with a hug and an assurance that if nothing else he was there for their needs.
“I’ve seen and helped grow these babies, these are my babies,” expresses Elmore. “I didn’t have children until I was 40, I got 21 years in this game, started in my early 20s and I’ve seen generations of kids come through this program.”
The CD Panthers is one of the most prominent youth football programs in the state and for 21 years Elmore has put his energy into the dignity of the program. According to Elmore, it has been and it will always continue to be about the children and their well-being.
The responsibility of teaching children about the world and environment they will inherit is paramount in the reason Elmore does this every year. To make sure that children, particularly Black boys, know that they are valued and that their ability to achieve is infinite is visible in Elmore’s leadership style, commitment and coaching style.
Contemplating the future Elmore states, “You shouldn’t have to tell my story, looking out here at these children, my story is documented, you can see it, this is for my kids.”
“You know it’s about giving back, and being about the people, we are about building men,” continues Elmore.
When talking about Elmore and the CD Panthers, a parent who wanted to remain anonymous may have put it best.
“Coach [Elmore] is doing an excellent job in holding the organization together and giving our kids opportunity. He reaches out to each child within his reach, gives them a hug and encourages them. I applaud Coach. This is a big responsibility and he is handling it.”
