This year, we are proud to name Jan Villano as our Athletics Volunteer of the Year, in recognition of 2 years of dedicated coaching in our youth basketball programs at LMC and WRAO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside of his full-time job in financial management, Jan is an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and high school basketball coach. For the past two years, he\u2019s brought the same coaching instincts to Apex for Youth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A friend recommended that Jan volunteer at Apex, and it didn\u2019t take long for him to find his place. He says he \u201cdiscovered a tight-knit community that was so welcoming and shared the same passion for basketball\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Jan, coaching basketball has never been just about the game; it\u2019s about the relationships built through playing. One of his favorite moments was when a youth player told him he was his favorite coach. Jan spent practices and games encouraging the players to make the right reads and trust their teammates, \u201ceven if you don’t win because everyone deserves a chance to make an impact.\u201d His players take these lessons to heart, always remembering that \u201cit’s okay to fail and one should never be afraid to try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This kind of growth and feedback is what keeps Jan coming back. \u201cThis age group is so impressionable – everything you say and how you say it matters,\u201d he says. \u201cSeeing our students apply adjustments and concepts in games has been very fulfilling. We truly make a difference for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jan is deeply connected to the youth that he coaches. \u201cI see myself in a lot of the youth we work with,\u201d he says, \u201cand I feel I have a chance to be the support system, motivator, and teacher I wish I had as a young boy.\u201d Volunteering, he says, has allowed him to see life through a new perspective\u2013 \u201cit feels as though I’m healing my younger self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mentorship and Male Representation Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jan views mentorship as a source of stability for low-income families juggling a lot at once. \u201cLow-income households are homes of some of the hardest-working people,\u201d he says. \u201cIt can be difficult to provide and create opportunities while financially supporting your family. Having mentorship programs like APEX alleviates a lot of that stress knowing you can entrust that responsibility into a community of well-connected people so your child doesn’t miss a beat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a male mentor, Jan views his role as an opportunity for boys to express themselves in situations where they might otherwise remain silent\u2014often because of societal expectations. \u201cBoys may be reluctant to share their thoughts and emotions,\u201d so \u201chaving male mentors is crucial to breaking through those barriers so we can focus on their development. It is easier to connect with someone who has been in your shoes for guidance [on] navigating through life’s challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeep your teachings and lessons short and simple,\u201d he says. \u201cPrioritize providing reps and play time over long and elaborate verbal breakdowns. If you don’t know what to do at any point, just be supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Paul, our Athletics Program Coordinator, puts it, \u201cThrough his leadership and unwavering commitment to our students, Coach Jan Villano helped raise the standard for everyone involved. He inspired our students to strive for greatness both on and off the court by creating an environment where they felt supported, challenged, and motivated to grow. Just as importantly, he empowered his fellow volunteers to step into leadership roles and use their voices to become stronger role models for the youth that we serve. Tonight, we celebrate not only Jan’s contributions to our program but also the lasting difference he made each and every Saturday. Please join me in congratulating our Manhattan Athletics Volunteer of the Year, Coach Jan Villano.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"athletics,](\"https:\/\/apexforyouth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/ClaraHungPhoto_ApexforYouth_TAAFGame_260515_106-1300x867.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTeaching Kids to Trust the Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Healing His Younger Self<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Advice for Future Volunteers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Tribute to Jan\u2019s Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n