Zach Berry 01/28/23. Johnson's death was the second homicide this year involving a former Pahokee athlete. It wasnt told in the story, but when you research it, you see that Burt Reynolds talked about it [the muck]. Wile E. Coyote got the Road Runner. It just doesnt look like it looks in a more mainstream area that has a lot of resources. Yeah, Im very excited because this is such a powerful story that comes at a perfect time in this countrys history. Ira reached out to Suchakwho runs an organization called Youth FXasking for help and technical advice. But we had a season [where] we went in before we even got really big funding. Johnson was a four-star football recruit who signed with Florida State University in February 2010. Pahokee 46 Glades Central 14 Final Enrollment: 329. My mother and father met in that town and used to date up there. Pahokee is located at 264929N 803935W / 26.82472N 80.65972W / 26.82472; -80.65972 (26.824717, 80.659660).[38]. Today he revealed he's taking his skills to Georgetown University in Washington, DC. . We present them here for purely educational purposes. "So, I feel like I'm ready.". Were going into this tropical climate, and New Jersey is thinking theyre going to come and play these guys in their hometown and not train. Its still a rich community, but to me, theyre being used and theyve been used for hundreds of years. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. So I never actually lived in Pahokee. They won a state championship. The loss to South Carolina also ended any hopes of Tennessee (10-2) earning a spot in the College Football Playoffs. All rights reserved. 2023 www.palmbeachpost.com. ", "It's not that people are just looking to constantly find what's out here," Suchak said. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. The shooting occurred about a mile and a half southwest of Pahokee High School, where earlier that night the school's football team had defeated Glades Central in an annual rivalry commonly referred to as the Muck Bowl. As the Patriots crumbled 22-7 at the half, the directors' attention shifted. That was the partnership. The racial makeup of the student body is 69% black, 29% Hispanic, 2% white. It was Jim Crow. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Hes just with his family and those boys on the football team. As someone whos not from Pahokee, what do you believe is the biggest misconception about this community? Pahokee, one of Palm Beach County's most storied football programs, will be forced to vacate its Class 1A state championship due to the use of an ineligible player . Enrollment is 68% black, 39% Hispanic, 2% white, 1% other. Thats why Im here. Miracle Village, founded by a minister, offers a small residential community for registered sex offenders, who sometimes have great difficulty in finding housing, or are homeless (see Julia Tuttle Causeway sex offender colony), because of Florida's strict regulations limiting where sex offenders can live. In fourth grade, he decided to try football. Thats why the town went down. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. They played football, and the people they used were people out of the muck. First, it was African Americans, then Jamaicans, Haitians, and now theres a bigger Mexican population in the area because those are the ones [working] in the field. . The Disney Bundle includes monthly subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu, in addition to ESPN+, and starts at $13 per month. Pahokee High School also known as Pahokee Junior Senior High School is a historic school in Pahokee Florida. Ira McKinley, whose family hails from Pahokee, is a formerly incarcerated activist-turned-filmmaker who first connected with filmmaker Bhawin Suchak for the powerful, personal film The Throwaways, in Albany, New York. As a matter of fact, in some ways, I think the biggest misconception is people dont understand how tight and connected the community is and how people really look out for each other. I left Florida in 79 and 80 and went back in 2015. Hes coming out of prison. More:How Muck City Sports Hall of Fame can serve as inspiration for youth growing up in the Glades. That was written by Bryan Mealer, 10 years ago. Glades Central, Belle Glade's school, has 1,140 students and is tied for the state record with six titles.. Over the decades hundreds of players have left the 33476 zip code to play at colleges well beyond Palm Beach County and dozens of those have gone on to play professionally. Suchak: I think there are so many different messages, but I think one that I really hope people see is that these small rural communities have really been one of the threads of the tapestry of this country. Oilers (1969) Pahokee. [15], Everglades Regional Medical Center, at 200 S. Barfield Highway was founded in 1936 as Everglades General Hospital; the current building opened in 1950. Pahokee, with 904 students, has won four of the last five state titles in its class. The way Alvin mentored and cared about these young men was important to showthat masculinity can be expressed in many different ways. From Podcast to Doc: Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow on Their Reparation Collaboration, a formerly incarcerated activist-turned-filmmaker who first connected with filmmaker, , in Albany, New York. [16], Adjacent to the former hospital, at 230 S. Barfield Highway, is Glades Health Care Center, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, with about 70 full-time employees.[17]. We worked on a film called The Throwaways that we released in 2014. Over the decades hundreds of players have left the 33476 zip. People have to really support each other, and everyone looks out for each other and cares about each other. With its tradition of athletes as rich as that of its famous native soil, Pahokee has always been a contender. Ira: Bhawin has another organization hes running, Im trying to do my own thing, and we dont have the resources. For a coach taking over a team that went 2-4 last season and lost to its archrival by 38 points . 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Days after its release, it was shown on ESPN,[28] and an Adidas commercial was made using footage from it.[29]. I still got family members my bloodline starts there, McKinley says in the movies promotional material. ), More on that Pahokee title loss:Dave George: State ruling doesnt erase Pahokees memorable season. This is not my place as an outsider. Cricket is a bit of an obscure sport in the United State, but you can count on the leader in sports, ESPN, to provide coverage of the match. More on Muck Tavern:NFL greats return to Palm Beach County, open new waterfront restaurant on Lake Okeechobee. Still, the film finds ways to highlight successes. With a 28-yard scoring scamper from Benjamin, the Blue Devils trimmed the Hornets' lead to 21-12 after a failed two-point conversion with 10:12 left to play. That's a place I grew up and I never took pride in my community, but now I have that pride,' " Suchak said of the response to the film, which won the Soul of Southern Film Award at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. I wanted to make sure I had peoples trust and a level of understanding of what we were trying to do. And through it all, the three players have worked toward an eventual common goal a scholarship to the University of Michigan. Despite the poverty and violence, 'The Muck' has forged over 40 NFL players. [24] There has been a significant move towards regeneration with the re-opening of the Pahokee Marina Tiki Bar and Restaurant now known as 'Pahokee Mo's' and new Dollar General store. suggest it has been on the list continually since 1994. Theyre rich in resources. So I want to help, and feel like Im being shut out even though I have support. 2023 EDGE DeeJay Holmes commits to Ole Miss over Colorado and UCF. Theres people that have other talents, but the focus is on the football. But Blountstown prevailed 12-0, and the citizens of tiny Pahokee (population, according to Thompson, "barely 5,000, counting the babies") yearned ever since for another chance. "What's so incredible about this place, it's literally 40 miles west of West Palm and it's a completely different environment. ESPN+ will be providing online coverage of the India vs Australia cricket match, and the monthly subscription is worth considering if youd like to get your eyes on more cricket matches, or more sports in general. I used to go there two times a year but never lived in that type of setting. You came out of the muck, and the level of pride and resilience and fortitude that [was] built in those people who suffered all these different tragedies, but still are so proud and joyous, and have so much collaboration in just the most basic survival skills of going fishing and hunting and sharing resources. Football is big. Hes just committed to it. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. People [in Pahokee] would say, How are they not teaching this in our own schools? Theyre like, Wow, we live in this incredible historic town but some of that is even obscured from us. Thats what Ira was talking about. Why trust us? In the city, 38.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.3% were aged 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% were 65 years of age or older. There have been many characters who act purely out of self-interest with a callous disregard for those around them. The full 30 for 30 sports documentary library is also part of an ESPN+ subscription, as is all sorts of ESPN original content. [My movie], The Throwaways, its police brutality and mass incarceration, so the things that we were working on were about social justice. "This time, the whole town stood up and gave an ovation. Rabbit hunting as running training for would-be football players. Who are the people that are maintaining the history? We filmed [Pahokee Highs football team] during their undefeated season and thats what really connected us to the people. When I came back, he was grown [with] kids. We were there through the whole thing, just trying to raise money to go back and forth, back and forth, you know. 2022 PAHOKEE BLUE DEVILS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Pahokee Blue Devils are classified in 1R- for the 2022 Season . Another classic Pahokee tale is how the young boys develop their quickness by chasing rabbits as they flee burning cane fields. Please provide a valid email address to continue. They canceled everything after talking all this mess on social media. A part of PBS, America's Home for Documentaries. Asking people for money just so we can go down there and shoot. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Thats what is powerful about the role that football plays in the community. Hes in one of the closing scenes, hes got a baby and a job and lives down there still. Volunteer Roster last updated on Feb 10, 2023 @ 5:34pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster Craig is the digital content producer for Independent Lens, based in San Francisco. I think its unfortunate because I think that these communities are the places where history was made. "He had the biggest stack of rabbits of anybody. Snake River 0-0 11 5. Today is National Signing Day. He passes that drive down to Alvin Jr. A child at the time of filming, Alvin Jr. is now a freshman cornerback at West Liberty University in West Virginia. "I got in contact with John and let him know the needs we had out in . The kids trained in this every day. Bhawin has another organization hes running, Im trying to do my own thing, and we dont have the resources. It so happens that McKinley is also a member of the Deans' extended family. Yes, there are not a lot of resources and opportunities, so for certain people, you want to leave. Stretch Film Division. The decision did not go down well in Pahokee. Polyethylene Film / PE Sheet [7] In 2018, the Mayor, Kenneth W. Babb, as well as the four members of the City Commission were all African American. The biggest misconception in a place like that is, Well, they dont have anything, and theyre poor. But you dont think about what theyre rich in. I got a pretty good football team.'' Despite out playing the Indians badly, Pahokee led just 16-12 at halftime after it got stunned by a blocked punt with 15 seconds left. I went and researched. It was a counter-narrative to all these films about rural communities where people always want to get out. View All. As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 5,985 people, 1,710 households, and 1,328 families residing in the city. Dissolution of the city has been proposed. Proclaiming Pahokee the "best defense in Palm Beach County - probably in Florida," Holmes, the Post's defensive player of the year, wants Hawthorne again, hoping to avenge last year's 51-12 . Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder are awaiting trial. Fla. towns", "Worth Watching. The decision began a career trajectory that eventually resulted in Rickey's selection to the Pro . About 29.4% of families and 32.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.9% of those under age 18 and 32.0% of those age 65 or over. THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUES RICHEST SOIL ON EARTH. There are other kids, you know, people I havent met. Ira and I, this is our second film working together. Through intimate stories of love and despair, Outta the Muck depicts a new perspective on Pahokee, a city built on Black achievement, resilience, and appreciation for its community. I think its so overlooked when you think about American history, specifically when youre talking about Black history in this country, is to look at the struggles and the resilience of communities like Pahokee. "[13], In 1963, with access to Cuban sugar restricted, a sugar plant was built, and agriculture shifted to the mechanized crop of sugar cane. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,524 people, 1,860 households, and 1,291 families residing in the city. Find out more. Filmmaker Ira Mckinley sets out to paint his hometown of Pahokee in a new light with the upcoming documentary Outta the Muck. Filmmakers have once again ventured to The Glades. Seeking to offer a unique narrative of Black achievement in a community rife with poverty and too often spotlighted for violence, filmmakers Ira McKinley and Bhawin Suchak instead focus their lens on the fiercely self-determined Dean family. It was a chance to tell that story. They dont have a lot of resources, but what they have is each other and that land, and living on that land is really something that I think is another piece of it. Another piece of the never-finished puzzle was gently fitted. Theres more people that dont play in the NFL and thats why you see the poverty. I had the story, but Bhawin and his people from Youth FX were the ones that came and documented the story. "For us, it's for people to look at their own communities and find the love and resilience and togetherness and build on that," Suchak said. Whites not of Hispanic origin made up 13.6% of the populace. . The Shepherd's School, 1800 Bacom Point Road, a Christian school (grades K12). "I think at the end of the day, we're making a film that's about community, and football essentially is the foundation and backstory of what we're talking about. I think it comes at a time when youre about to have the Super Bowl, so football is in peoples consciousness. You learn how to become self-determined. I was feeling really overwhelmed and tired. The population was 5,524 in the 2020 census. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.46% of the population. Pahokee's football team will be forced to forfeit all 14 of its wins from this past season, including its state championship, for using an ineligible player. They got everything. Thats Bridget. $3K reward offered in block party shooting that killed former Pahokee football star. One of the most influential figures in Pahokee football history, Donald Thompson died on Monday. Rather than see it as this relic of the past or something hokey, its really critical and important, especially in todays world. The AOL.com video experience serves up the best video content from AOL and around the web, curating informative and entertaining snackable videos. SHARE. Zach Berry 01/30/23. But [theres] red tape with the political stuff because they dont want us to bring this down there for peoples benefit. But if you dont play football, what else are you going to do? It's the talk of the town and will be for a long time to come. I can't think of anything better that has ever happened to this town.". team will need you," Thompson said softly, giving the wide-eyed boy his undivided attention, if only for a few precious seconds. Bhawin: We had to share our air miles, and my sister works for Enterprise, and Bridgett cooked food for us, and we really cobbled it together: the GoFundMe, plus Sam [Pollard] gave us some money, and that was it. The other part is that a lot of people dont tell stories of who stays in these communities. The biggest, fastest rabbit was whumped, and more than 3,500 of Pahokee's 5,000 residents were in Daytona to see it happen. Credit: Maya Suchak / Football Team lined up, Credit: Maya Suchak / Directors Bhawin Suchak and Ira Mckinley, Credit: Maya Suchak / Willie Dean and his Family, Josh Johnson heads to therapy in new comedy special Up Here Killing Myself, The Big Paybacks Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow on reparations in America. The defense, led by James Jackson and DeeJay Holmes Jr., played to the tune of Muck Bowl's traditional physicality, the former tallying two interceptions and the latter notching three sacks. "The people of Pahokee love football. Now you see three documentaries released this year that have woven Zora Neale Hurstons history, which is amazing because its so overdue. This land is so fertile. Pahokee is a city located on the shore of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Bhawin: We thought it was going to be more of an ESPN 30 for 30-type football story, but then realized that narrative has been done before. Enrollment: 71 (2016). So I never actually lived in Pahokee. Once I got down there, I started to build that relationship with the family and get a sense of what the community stories were and some of the history. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? With an ESPN+ subscription youll get access to sports events like NCAA basketball games, XFL football games, and UFC fights. He ran for 1,526 yards and 18 touchdowns as an All Palm Beach County First Team performer during his junior season. At Pahokee High School, Blue Devils football star Bijay Boldin is standing out in the classroom as well. Watch the India vs Australia live stream on ESPN+. 457 followers. Ever since, Thompson longed for a championship. All rights reserved. We saw them [the opposing team] collapsing and the coaches collapsing. We need to celebrate them. But despite the lower economic profile, Muck City's schools routinely win state championships in the intensely competitive state of Florida and produce professional athletes. Walter Boldin. Very big." The Blue Devils got close in 1976, with a team that included New Orleans Saints All . Everyone talks about how Black families are broken and men dont do anythingand its like, No. When you start bringing in the environmental shifts and changes in the climate, people are going to need to learn how to be in relationship with the land in a different way. Suchak: Its interesting because I think at the beginning of the project, that was really important for us to build that relationship and make sure that people knew what our intentions were coming down there. The team won five state championships in six years, from 2003-08, and in the past half-century has produced 25 professional players. Didn't find what you were looking for on Hulu? The stories of Black communities and the historical context they have come up through and how history has impacted the present times, I think, are really woven into this in a beautiful way. Hes a New York Times reporter. Then they came with this busload of people, with this entourage and the state troopers. They trained in this type of heat and everything every day. Males had a median income of $28,859 versus $20,066 for females. Weve been on the festival circuit and doing community tours with the film, so weve been showing it to audiences in person. Pahokee exemplifies what it looks like for a community to look out for each other and build community because thats what they have. Hes a, Theres also documentaries coming out that in some form weave in the story of Zora Neal Hurston, which has really not been told in a broad scope. Teams AFC East: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets high school football has become more than a game - it's a way . Bhawin: I work with young people across different genders, but for the young men I work with, one of the things theyre craving is people in their lives to hold them accountable in a way also backed by care and love, and a level of grace. "Yeah, coach," the student replied. Mckinley: The connection to football. The camera also turns to the annual memorial remembering the victims of the 1928 hurricane, while celebrating survivors such as now-98-year-old Ethel Williams. Watch: Award-Winning 'The Rabbit Hunt' Short from Patrick Bresnan", "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades", "Reidel Anthony NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Anquan Boldin NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Rickey Jackson NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Eric Moore Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com", "Alphonso Smith NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Antone Smith NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Fred Taylor NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pahokee,_Florida&oldid=1141962336, Pahokee Elementary School, 560 East Main Place (grades pre-K5). Outta the Muck is about his family in Pahokee and Black achievement in an area beset by hurricane disasters, poverty, and personal trauma.
