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For
kids from his neighborhood, chances of success weren’t very good.
But Mal also had a couple of positive things working in his
favor. He came from a
family with loving parents, who cared about their children and
taught them the benefits of hard work. Plus, his neighborhood had a
Boys Club that was funded by Mal remembers, “I spent tons of time there, primarily focused on sports. It gave me a place where I could go and experience some organized support and have good role models and coaches that would take interest in me. Coming from my neighborhood, it gave my parents piece of mind, knowing I was in a safe environment, and obviously it paid dividends for me later on.” When Mal describes the skills he learned attending the Boys Club youth program, he talks about more than playing basketball. He learned discipline, teamwork and the importance of finishing what you start. He developed self-confidence and was taught that nothing is impossible, if you’re willing to work hard enough to make your dreams come true. So, when Mal’s high school class toured the GM Fairfax Plant, he was in awe. “It was fascinating to watch the mass production of cars. I can remember seeing and understanding the manufacturing process. Someone made the connection for me that since I was good in math, if I studied hard I could get into engineering and maybe run one of these plants some day. It gave me a vision of what I’d like to do.”
Although
he’s not overseeing the assembly of cars, Mal is
running a major manufacturing plant.
He used the talent and life skills he developed at the Boys
Club to earn a full scholarship to play basketball at Mal says having a safe place to go where he was involved in positive activities made a huge difference in his life. He remembers one kid in particular who he had several fights with, who ended up in trouble with the law. “He was very articulate and had a strong character, but I never remember ‘Doony’ going to the Boys Club. Perhaps if he had some of the same experiences or channeled his energies differently, he and I could have become friends and maybe things could have turned out differently for him.” Mal
is very appreciative of the opportunities he received growing up and
he has tried to repay the favor by reaching out to volunteer with
the Boys and Girls Clubs, Leadership 2020, and as a youth basketball
coach for the Salvation Army. “I
enjoy talking with kids about leadership concepts, sharing personal
experiences, helping them understand the need to resist peer
pressure and the importance of having goals.”
He is also a Mal
says, “I see kids learning more about computers.
They know more about photography and leadership and certain
life skills. I know
those things can help not only the Mal Warricks, but also the
‘Doonys’ of the world. Without
a doubt, these kids are being shaped for tomorrow.
I’m clearly one of those who fits into the category of a
leader being made, not born. And
foundationally speaking, I truly believe |
Mal
Warrick has some vivid memories of his childhood.