At first glance, it might look like just another city basketball program. Kids shooting around. Coaches shouting instructions from the sidelines. The scoreboard ticking down. But step into the gym at YFC Rochester’s Friday Night Basketball, and you’ll quickly realize that something else is happening here.
“There’s a spirit in that gym,” says Mike Hennessy, Executive Director of YFC Rochester. “You feel it the moment you walk in. It’s not just ball—it’s transformation.”
Basketball as a Bridge
The YFC basketball program started, like many ministries, with a need: how to reach young men growing up in high-risk environments with the hope of Christ. The answer came with hoops, whistles, and a gym full of open hearts.
“Basketball breaks down walls,” says Coach Felix Ortiz, who leads the YFC Basketball program. “They come for the game, but they stay because someone sees them. Really sees them.”
The night begins with prayer and a devotional message, then moves on to the games. A strict code of conduct is enforced. The structure is simple, but look under the surface and you’ll see trust-building, character formation, and spiritual seeds being sown.
“These kids come from hard places,” Felix explains. “Absent dads. Rough schools. Violence in the streets. But for a couple hours, they’re part of something different, something bigger than basketball. They’re brothers.”
“We’re not just coaches,” Felix adds. “We’re spiritual fathers, mentors, older brothers. When we keep showing up—loving them, challenging them, praying for them—they start to believe that maybe God sticks around too.”
Real Talk, Real Life
The talks before and after the game are just as important as what happens on the court. “We use those moments to talk about real life,” Mike explains. “Respect. Anger. Forgiveness.”
One night, after a tense game, a player refused to shake hands. Instead of brushing it off, the leaders pulled him aside.
“We asked him, ‘What’s going on?’” Felix recalls. “Turns out, he’d been jumped earlier that week. He didn’t feel safe anywhere. That’s the kind of stuff we’re walking them through.”
These conversations often lead to prayer, Scripture, and, when the moment is right, the Gospel. “We’re always sowing seeds,” Mike says. “Sometimes we see the fruit right away. Sometimes it takes years. But we plant in faith.”
Reaching Them Earlier
This year, YFC is doubling down on a vital truth: if we want to reach young men for Christ, we need to start sooner.
“We’re losing them as early as nine, ten, eleven,” says Felix, with urgency. “We have to get to them before the streets do.”
That’s the heart behind a new emphasis on middle schoolers—boys in grades 6 through 8 who are still forming their identities but already feeling the pressures of the world.
In response, we are launching a new middle school basketball and discipleship program, meeting Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m. Each session is a mix of basketball drills, team building, and spiritual formation. (Register here)
“They’re more open,” Mike adds. “Younger boys are just more teachable. They’re still willing to listen. That makes these sessions not only fun—but really fruitful.”
The boys will learn basketball fundamentals, but always with a deeper goal: character. Felix and the team teach what they call “Good, Better, Best” thinking, helping players apply wisdom both on the court and in life.
“We’re not just talking about how to make a play,” Felix says. “We’re talking about how to make a choice—how to be humble, how to be consistent, how to honor your parents.”
Every session includes a prayer circle, a short biblical devotion, and an invitation for the boys to take part. “If they don’t pray,” Felix says with a smile, “they don’t play.”
Mentorship as Discipleship
YFC basketball isn’t just for the players—it’s a training ground for future leaders. Several former participants are now serving as assistant coaches, referees, or volunteers.
“That’s what discipleship looks like,” Felix says. “You walk with them, and one day they start walking with someone else.”
Mike shares the story of a young man who started in the program at 14 and is now leading huddles and praying with younger players. “He told Coach Felix, ‘I want to be the kind of man I never had growing up.’ That’s what it’s about.”
It’s a theme that runs through all of YFC’s programs: empowerment through belonging, identity rooted in Christ, and the courage to lead others.
Millie Schmidt, a former participant turned mentor, is now serving as Peer Mentor and Assistant Coach to the younger boys. “He sets the cultural tone,” says Mike. “He models what it means to lead by serving, to be steady and dependable. The kids look up to him—not just for his skills, but for his heart.”
Safe Spaces in a Dangerous World
Many of the players come from neighborhoods marked by violence, broken families, and systemic poverty. “For some of these kids,” Mike says, “just making it through the week is a win.”
That’s why safety is paramount—not just physical, but emotional and spiritual.
When they’re with us, they can exhale,” Felix says. “No one’s judging them. No one’s expecting them to act tough. They can just be.”
This sanctuary in the gym allows for deep conversations and moments of vulnerability. “I’ve seen tears on that court,” Mike says. “I’ve seen kids break down because someone finally told them, ‘You matter. You’re loved.’”
Shared Struggles, Shared Hope
All of our programs are grounded in the same vision: to meet kids where they are and introduce them to Jesus. The methods differ—tea parties and etiquette lessons on one side; skills & drills and pep talks on the other—but the heart is the same.
“These kids don’t need more programs,” Felix says. “They need people. People who love them with the love of Christ.”
It’s that message—spoken and lived out—that keeps both programs thriving.
What’s Next?
With demand growing and transformation taking root, the leaders are dreaming bigger. More nights in the gym. More staff. More chances to mentor and disciple.
But the next steps will be taken in faith—and prayer.
“We’re not chasing numbers,” Mike says. “We’re chasing souls. If one young person finds Christ, that’s worth everything.”
Felix puts it plainly: “We’re not just building ballplayers. We’re building men. Men of God.”
And in a world starving for strong, godly leaders—that’s the most important game of all.