Chatting with David Wilson is fun. Inspiring. Moving. Impressive. Utterly enjoyable.

David begins his story by telling the “ending:” With the help of business leaders, David is establishing a new basketball program for boys in Minneapolis, one that reduces costs to players: the Minneapolis Warriors. His enthusiasm is infectious as he describes his hopes for the fledgling organization. It’s a dream come true for this 20-year-old dynamo, a talented basketball player himself, whose story wasn’t always so upbeat.

His season as a promising high-school hoops star ended after some poor decisions and a brush with the law. For a variety of reasons, David found himself homeless, sleeping on friends’ couches and trying to piece together a life on his own. A father at just 16, and again at 18, David knew he needed to get his act together for his sons and for himself. He worked temp jobs to make a little money, but it wasn’t enough to live on. His love of basketball led him to part-time coaching gigs at area schools, where he led his young teams to State.

All the while, there was an idea that kept percolating in his creative brain: A basketball program for kids who don’t have money, who never get a shot at playing, who could use the influence of a coach who’s been where they are. But without stable housing, David knew his dream could die. He needed a place, a home base, a supportive network to help him make progress.

David’s younger sister told him about YouthLink, whose staff had helped her find housing. David was encouraged to apply for a low-rent apartment in a nearby building supervised by YouthLink staff. David’s application was accepted, and very soon, he was handed keys to his own home.

“It was a little strange at first – I was lonesome. But I’ve learned a lot, living on my own. The staff at St. Barnabas Apartments really cares about me – they’re actually concerned when they ask about my day.”

A pied piper, David is a natural coach and a hit with his teams. “I just encourage them, and I tell them they’re touching every life of everyone watching them play. And I tell them that they need to think for themselves, and for their team. A gang tells you what to think, and makes you believe you’re important, but you just end up doing their dirty work. Teamwork is different from gang ‘work.’ I give YouthLink the credit for helping me build a base. Now I can make the Minneapolis Warriors happen.”

If you’d like to know more about David’s basketball team, click here.