The Harlem Jets: 20 Years of Brotherhood

In 2025, the Harlem Jets celebrated its 20th anniversary season. (photo by BL Harewood)

In Harlem, at the heart of New York, lies a pee-wee football powerhouse that is providing the foundation for the next generation. On the field, young boys are learning how to play the game of football. Off the field, they are learning how to play the game of life.

In 2005, Jamel Wright founded the Harlem Jets, hoping to create an opportunity for his son, Jamel Wright, Jr., and other inner city children to grow and develop beyond the gridiron. This year, the Jets are celebrating their 20th anniversary season. 

“I’ve just been trying to keep continuing the work that the 20 years snuck up on me,” said Wright. “I wouldn’t have known it was 20 years if someone else hadn’t told me. The work is just that important.”

The recipe behind the team’s longevity, Wright says, is his motto: Jets Equal Total Success. He believes the total success of his players looks like them doing well athletically, academically, socially, and being all-around, quality young men.

“We’re able to accomplish so much with so little,” says Wright.

Take practice for example. At the corner of 124th and 2nd, parents walk their children across the street to a bus stop where about 100 youngsters (ages 5-13) squeeze onto two yellow school buses to get to and from practice. And two times a week, all the players practice on one field.

“Everywhere else the community makes sure the kids have a safe place to play, but unfortunately here in Harlem, because there are so many things going on, we have to turn [a] little patch of grass into heaven.”

Nonetheless, the program has evolved beyond Wright’s initial vision. Offering SAT Prep, academic tutoring, and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) training, it has shepherded thousands of kids to and through college. 

What started out as a way to keep kids off the streets has now become a brotherhood and the early beginnings for professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, and those in-between.

“The beauty of our program is that I think we’ve done an amazing job at developing good character guys,” said Wright. “We establish what the standards and expectations are and we hold our guys accountable, giving [them] the tools in [their] toolbox to accomplish the mission.”

One of those good character guys he referred to was Harrison Donaldson, whose journey with the Jets began as a seven-year-old in 2010, and is now coaching the seven-and-under age group. 

“I got a lot of brothers out of this,” said Donalson. “I’m back to coach because the same family I had as a kid, I want to continue for the rest of the kids in Harlem and keep continuing to grow and build this community.”

While somewhat reminiscent of the past, Donalson, a recent Howard University graduate, feels he has a brand new perspective on what he experienced over a decade ago. He now understands the bigger picture: 

“We’re trying to get kids to see what they can be, maximize their potential, and give them the tools to really do the best that they can do,” he said. “There [are] certain characteristics that you won’t just take onto the football field, but that you'll take into the office, into the classroom, in every aspect of life.”

When he is coaching, he sees how the little ones are now and where they could be going.

“They’re acting like normal seven-year-olds,” said Donaldson. “They’re complaining, crying, asking to use the bathroom, all that type of stuff. But I see the future for these kids,” he continued.

“I know that as long as these kids trust the process, continue to listen to us [coaches] and their parents, do well in school, they’re going to turn out better than I did.”

Dwayne Seabrooks has a front-row seat to that very process. Since joining the Jets last fall, he has seen the impact the team is having on his son, Daniel.

“I like the way they show the kids how to prepare for a game and to prepare for life,” he said.

“[Daniel’s] played for other organizations before, but we came here and he looked around and said, ‘Dad, this is home, this is where I want to be.’” 

“It made me feel very very proud and comfortable bringing him here,” said Seabrooks. 

After presenting Daniel’s report card for registration, watching him gravitate towards his teammates, and meeting the role model coaches serving as positive influences, it became clear to the elder Seabrooks that, “It was a perfect fit.”

That peace of mind has allowed his son, who plays quarterback and linebacker, to do what he loves best: tackling, scoring touchdowns, and celebrating. But as a father, does Dwayne Seabrooks actually see this program shaping his son into a young man?

“Absolutely,” he says. “Absolutely.”

The Harlem Jets are for kids like Daniel, who simply just want a place to play the sport they love. But it is through football that they learn what matters most: how to win in life.

Chazz Woodson is One-of-One

Chazz Woodson talks strategy with his team during a home game versus Monmouth on March 29, 2025, in Hampton, Virginia. (Bradmond-Lee Harewood / The Hampton Script)

A high school All-American. An All-Ivy League standout. A Major League Lacrosse All-Star. And now, head lacrosse coach for Hampton University, the only HBCU with a Division I men’s team. Chazz Woodson is truly one of one.

Growing up in Norfolk, VA, a young Woodson had dreamed of playing college basketball, but early on realized his skills on the lacrosse field outshone those on the court. His unquestionable talent gave him the chance to compete on the biggest stages, leading him all the way to Brown University and later the MLL.

At Brown, Woodson developed into quite the player and was named to the 2000-2009 All- Decade Team. Taken 19th overall in the 2005 MLL Draft by the Long Island Lizards, he was revered for being

The game took him further than he could have imagined, but Woodson recalls how rare it was for him to simply play on a team with another Black player growing up, or even attend a camp or tournament with a few other Black players. Though a minority in the sport, he has not been deterred, forging his own path and drawing from the trailblazing essence of Jim Brown, a Syracuse University lacrosse star turned NFL Hall of Fame running back.

In Woodson’s eyes, failing to acknowledge the names and contributions of many great Black players like Brown (who was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983) sells the history of the game short.

“I think it’s incredibly important that we recognize that we are a part of the story,” he said. “We have a history and a legacy in this game even though it doesn’t really get talked about.”

He believes lacrosse has mirrored America as a delicate treasure of native purity co-opted by money and capitalism. He looks sorrowfully upon the fact that, like most sports, lacrosse has become a pay-for-play experience, inadvertently limiting the scope of who has been able to play. He sees Black boys and girls having difficulty finding places to learn the game and begin to excel.

According to the NCAA, in 2024 only three percent of all D-I men’s lacrosse players were Black. And nearly a third of them came from Hampton. “That’s sort of the nature of the beast,” he says.

Woodson, who graduated from Brown with a bachelor’s degree in educational studies, luckily has always been committed to shaping the next generation, even working simultaneously as a full-time teacher and coach in Florida during his 10-year pro career.

Despite all that he had accomplished through the sport, Woodson never saw college coaching as the end goal. In fact, the only way he would have even considered such an opportunity was if it were somewhere he saw himself living, somewhere he could mold the program to his liking, and/or at an HBCU. Fortunately, Hampton met each of those criteria.

“To be able to have the experiences that I’ve had over the years with this sport and then to come home and pour into this particular school and community is really cool for me.”

Woodson is back home indeed, having family ties to HU through his aunt and uncle, graduates of then Hampton Institute. Just 13 miles from his old stomping grounds of Norfolk Academy where he learned to play lacrosse, everything has come around full-circle.

If Hampton—or any HBCU—had a viable and competitive men’s lacrosse program during his college recruitment, Woodson says it definitely would have been on his radar.

“I wanted to compete at the highest level, but I also thought it would have been really cool to play on a team full of Black players. I know with certainty that would’ve been awesome.”

And that is exactly what the Pirates’ head coach is pitching to his current and future players: the idea that Hampton is already the place to play simply because they can build something here and build it together.

“Some folks just want to go where the championships already are,” he said. “We have the type of program where young athletes see it as a place where they can come in to play, be impactful, and help elevate it to championship level.”

Hired in 2020, Woodson’s coaching debut was delayed until the 2021-2022 spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Heading into season four he wants to focus on ensuring the program’s sustainability, ultimately hoping to steer the Pirates towards a successful future, regardless of how long he remains at the helm.

“Whenever my time is up I’m not going to be worried about what my record was, I’m going to be concerned with ‘is this program on the right path, on the path to success,’” said Woodson. “And I think we are.”

HU Hoops: Business is Booming, Brand is Boosting

Hampton's George Beale Jr. lines up a shot over Howard's Cameron Shockley-Okeke during one of the two teams' historic HBCU rivalry games on February 1, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (BL Harewood / The Hampton Script)

In recent months, Hampton University Athletics has successfully made several business and marketing decisions for the sake of boosting the brand and promoting a hopeful future. From television deals to hair care partners, the basketball program has been at the forefront of it all, helping reshape the university’s image on a national scale.

In November, Hampton announced its partnership with Monumental Sports Network for the 2024-2025 basketball season. Covering the DMV-area and reaching over three million households, the network committed to airing 18 Pirates games this winter—nine apiece for both the men’s and women’s teams.

“For the athletics department we are having a lot of change and we are having a lot of successful changes,” said Alexander Shaffer, Director of Strategic and Broadcast Communications. “To be on a cable network increases our brand awareness [and] is a big deal.”

With Monumental’s regional coverage, Shaffer believes the additions of men’s head basketball coach Ivan Thomas, a Norfolk native, and women’s head basketball coach Tamisha Augustin, a Hampton native, made the deal more probable.

“With Hampton being in the 757, I think Monumental is looking at two new head coaches that are local and also had a lot of success where they've been. I think they can get a program that's on the up and coming.”

Trevor Smith sets up a play during a home game versus William & Mary on January 16, 2025. (BL Harewood / The Hampton Script)

Though all games are currently streamed via FloSports, Assistant Director of Athletics Mike Ballweg says by the spring Hampton plans to expand its partnership with Monumental across all sports.

Over the holidays, Hamptonians were also given new hair care products to endorse when Mielle Organics announced a multi-year partnership with the Lady Pirates at the beginning of the season.

Monique Rodriguez, the CEO of Mielle, shared her excitement about the partnership in a press release:

“As champions of women in sports and HBCU excellence, we are proud collaborators in empowering the next generation of athletes who will shape the future with confidence and pride in their textured hair.”

Adding to their list of good fortune, Pirates fans around the country were more than pleased to find out that CBS Sports would televise four men’s games this season, including an HBCU Showcase versus Howard University.

“I think that the basketball team being broadcast on CBS Sports is such a big step in the right direction for our athletics program and Hampton University as a whole,” said Hampton student Reagan Carter. “HBCUs don’t normally get national coverage and this visibility will entice future sponsors and supporters to want to partner with Hampton.”

With conference play in full swing, Coach Thomas hardly bats an eye at television appearances and impact games. He says they only challenge the team’s mindset, neither adding nor subtracting from their preparation.

“When we set certain goals for ourselves we must ‘run faster, jump higher’ or remain behind,” said Thomas.

Carter believes Hampton has made financial stability a priority, noting its transitions from the MEAC to the Big South to the CAA as an effort to gain more notability, recognition, and money. Aspiring to work in sports law, she sees this strategy greatly benefiting players by allowing them to compete on a bigger stage and against more upper-level competition.

Luckily, players like Pirates guard Noah Farrakhan are luckily no strangers to a big stage. Known for a viral poster dunk during his high school days at IMG Academy, before rocking the blue-and-white, he also competed in the Big 12 conference at West Virginia University.

Noah Farrakhan, once a viral sensation coming out of IMG Academy, decided to take his talents to Hampton after beginning his career at West Virginia University. (BL Harewood / The Hampton Script)

“It’s definitely a different atmosphere playing in front of [an HBCU crowd],” he said. “It gives you new motivation. It’s a different kind of pressure, but pressure makes diamonds.”

Though he enjoys the enticing cultural aspects of such matchups, Farrakhan views them as just another opportunity to perform. With the Pirates playing in back-to-back prime-time games against North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, he hopes to get into his groove and outshine every light in the arena.

Carter, who was selected to join the NBA x HBCU Fellowship program and work for the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, understands that a brand’s focus should be to create the best possible product in order to ultimately generate more revenue, ticket sales, and viewership.

“One thing [the Lakers] taught me was ‘knowing who you are and being the best at what you do,’” said Carter. “I think if Hampton has this mindset they could really elevate the brand to be extremely notable among all colleges.”