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Former pro gives Berkeley
players a chance to shine 

For Doug Harris, playing basketball opened up a lot of doors. Though the Berkeley High graduate and current Executive Director of Athletes United for Peace stresses that the game of basketball is not an end in itself, he says the lessons learned on the court can last a lifetime. 

After a successful career as a professional basketball player overseas, Harris has committed himself to giving back to the community he grew up in. 

In charge of AUP, the Berkeley-based nonprofit promoting peace, education and friendship, Harris works directly with local high-risk youth, affording them the opportunity to both play basketball and learn a few of life’s most important lessons. 

“Sports, and in particular basketball, afforded me an opportunity to see the world when I was playing. Travelling and experiencing other cultures and other lifestyles was the best education I ever experienced in life. You can’t learn nothing like that in school, I don’t care what school, they don’t teach that,” Harris explained. 

As one of AUP’s many components, the Berkeley Latenight Basketball Program has since 1993 served as an alternative for young people seeking to distance themselves from a life of crime, drugs and gang activity. The program, funded by the city of Berkeley, organizes leagues year-round including the current outdoor summer session league taking place at People’s Park. 

Working in cooperation with UC Berkeley, which owns the park property, Harris says the summer session has been special so far because of the leadership shown by a few of the older participants. 

Didese Simpson, who has been involved with Latenight for the past eight years and a member of the summer session’s Scrilla team, says patience and teamwork are critical. As a team leader, the 27-year-old Simpson offers advice to many of his younger teammates. 

“Basically, I talk to my players. If they start arguing I tell them, ‘Look, don’t worry about it. You can’t sit here and argue, it’s just a game.’ You just got to get ready for the next play. As an older player I learned how to stay together and don’t fall apart,” Simpson said. 

According to Harris, the leadership component of Latenight Basketball keeps the program running, keeping the league from turning into chaos. 

“In Latenight Basketball, if you’re not on your p’s and q’s there can be an assault. It can be very volatile. That’s why I have to be there to lay down the law. If anybody’s ready to be fighting, we’re athletes united for peace,” Harris said. “These guys come in thinking this is street ball or any old street league, we don’t represent that. The moment that they start cuttin’ up and trippin’, they got to come and see me and I’m 6-8 and 300 pounds and I’m not standing for it. The guys understand that, that I’m no nonsense when it comes to basketball.” 

Both Harris and officials from the city of Berkeley agree that sports programs are important. However, even more significant are sports programs that combine playing games with educational resources.  

“Sports programs are helpful,” said Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean. “They give kids a chance to let off energy and something constructive to focus on, but they have to be combined with something a little more to be effective.” 

Unlike many other strictly sports programs, Latenight offers its participants appointment counseling, career guidance, workshops and rap sessions to discuss topical issues as a group before each game. 

“These people can go to the park and play basketball. These young people out here need guidance. They need people to steer them in the direction where they’re going back to school, going to college. They need people to help them, give them that extra added push to help them get a job,” Harris said. “Sometimes all it takes is somebody to talk to them, a little counseling to get them back on the right track. To me, that’s what we’re there for. The basketball is just to lure them in.” 

For Berkeley High graduate Joel Tolbert, a long-time participant of Latenight, setting a good example sends an important message to many of the younger participants. Taking night classes at Laney College and working during the day, Tolbert says that just showing up to games each week teaches consistency and instills a sense of responsibility among participants. 

“This is about giving young people some direction, teaching them how to depend on each other, how to handle themselves and helping them get in the job market,” Tolbert noted. 

Past participants in the Latenight program include El Cerrito High’s Drew Gooden, recently selected as the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, and Berkeley’s Justin Davis, a current Stanford basketball star. 

While of course not all participants move on to the NBA or even college ball, the measure of success for the Latenight program can be found more in the community than on the courts, according to Harris.  

“I can’t go anywhere around community without seeing kids from my program. It’s the biggest joy in the world for a kid to come up and give me a report on how he’s doing in terms of his school work in college. It’s the best feeling in the world”