MitchMash: High school basketball coaches organize peace rally after player is slain

RICHMOND, Calif. — Berkeley (Calif.) boys basketball coach Mark DeLuca was awakened late Friday night by loud wails and cries from the other side of his El Sobrante home.

It was his housemate, longtime friend and Richmond boys basketball coach Rob Collins.

Collins' top player and leader, 16-year-old junior guard Rodney Frazier Jr., was gunned down dead in front of his North Richmond home Friday in what police called a "wrong place, wrong-time" killing.

"It was actually the right-place, wrong-time shooting," Collins said Wednesday morning. "He was exactly where he should have been. At home. He did everything right. That's what makes this hurt so bad. He was such a good kid in every way."

For two days, DeLuca, who is also the Director of Student Life at El Sobrante Christian, said he heard Collins weeping in his room. He ran out of words to tell his best pal.

"I really didn't know what else to do so I just prayed," DeLuca said.

On Sunday night, DeLuca had an answer — organize a grass roots peace rally, put on by the local high school basketball community, coaches and players.

He ran it by Collins, a no-nonsense, free-speaking, hearty gentlemen who has twice left safe suburban school coaching jobs — Acalanes (Lafayette) and Amador Valley (Pleasanton) — to coach in the rough streets of Richmond, where crime and murder rates run high.

Collins' reaction to a rally was predictable: "We're done (messing) around. We need to tell it like it is."

DeLuca emailed several members of his coaching fraternity and Richmond Chief of Police Chris Magnus.

"Within 20 minutes, (Magnus) called me and said ‘Whatever you need. Let's make it happen,'" DeLuca said. "That was very powerful to me. That told me this would take off."

Coaches jumped on board and at least 10 programs plan to be at the rally, which is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Richmond Civic Auditorium.

"I'm hearing from more and more people," DeLuca said. "All sorts of media are calling. We haven't sought this. We purposely didn't seek out any politicians. It's organically growing from the brotherhood of the basketball community. They are answering the call."

Planned speakers include DeLuca, Collins, De La Salle (Concord) coach Frank Allocco and Richmond senior basketball player Marquette Davenport, who told the Contra Costa Times Tuesday: "It seems like it's harder to keep your life than to live it these days."

Davenport, 17, said there was no way Rodney could have been a target.

"He never got into trouble," he said. "If you could create the perfect kid, Rodney would be the outcome."

Allocco is bringing his varsity team from over the hill in Concord. De La Salle is a private school that enrolls students from throughout the Bay Area, including Richmond.

One of De La Salle's most famous student-athletes, Terrance Kelly, was from Richmond. He was murdered there in 2004, two nights before he was scheduled to leave for the University of Oregon on a football scholarship. His story was prominently told in the recently released movie "When the Game Stands Tall."

Allocco doesn't plan to discuss Kelly's situation, but rather speak on a wider scope, with quotations from Martin Luther King Jr. and Anne Frank. His message, he said, will be of hope, peace and action.

"This isn't just a problem in Richmond," Allocco said. "It's a footnote that points to so many things that are wrong with our society. It's easy to look at it and see hopelessness, but we can never lose hope. … We're looking at this as a catalyst for change. Like in basketball, the changes don't come from the coaches. It has to come from the players."

DeLuca said he won't be damning the violent young offenders of the streets, but offering "compassion and forgiveness."

"In my experience, the gang bangers are just mixed up kids," he said. "Someone needs to show them a little compassion. My message to them is to put down your guns and hang with guys like Rob or Frank or (Salesian-Richmond coach Bill) Mellis or me, and shoot baskets instead."

It's hard to dig deep and find compassion when your good friend has been killed senselessly, Collins said. He just wants it all to end.

"The police efforts are great but these poor guys have their hands full," he said. "We all need to step up. I'm sick and tired of this B.S. This violence has got to stop.

"I know I'm just a lowly P.E. teacher and coach at Richmond High, but I know personally I'm putting my foot down. Hopefully other groups will join us in the name of Rodney Frazier."