Dawson Impacts Area Athletes With ‘Hard Work, Close Family’ Approach

By Skip Pearlman

Every athlete, on every level, can point to at least one coach who left a lasting impression, a coach who impacted them in a major way, and who made them realize how to reach their potential.

For dozens of Dutchess and Putnam athletes, that coach is Kenney Dawson.

Dawson runs the Playmaker Academy, out of Hopewell Junction – his teams play games at Brewster’s Sports Center.  He has the kind of personality to which kids of all ages can relate. And his presence is impacting more and more athletes around the area.

Austin Freer is a perfect example. Freer had tried out for his high school team at John Jay since the seventh grade, but never made it. After spending one year under Dawson’s tutelage, Freer made major strides, and made the varsity team.

“That was a good lesson,” said Monica Freer, mother of six boys (including 12-year-old twins) enrolled in Dawson’s’ program. Freer also has a pair of four-year-old twins already enrolled in the Mommy and Me youth program.

“If you want something, you work for it,” Freer added. “Kenney will work with the kids outside of their normal schedule. And it’s all positive. He’s an amazing man… gifted. He finds a strength to develop… I just wish I had found him years ago.”

After Freer brought her oldest son, Austin, into the program, it didn’t take her long to follow suit with her younger boys.

“We loved it so much that we brought the other three in,” she said. “He definitely increased their playing level, but they also loved the atmosphere. He builds each child in the family of the program. Education, academics are very important. He works with them academically to get them where they need to be… he builds the whole child – that’s what’s important.”

Dawson’s gift lies in his ability to get through to his athletes, to get them to buy into his system, and get them to flat out do the work.

With Dawson, it’s all about family.

“The kids talk… they like what I’m doing, and the parents like what I’m doing,” he said, explaining his success and growing reputation. “It’s like a family around here. We teach them life lessons…. basketball is just a tool. Around here the atmosphere is respect and family… we have little kids coming up, I coach their little brothers and sisters… I grew up in the boys and girls club environment, that’s what I’m trying to make it like here –  a good, learning, and safe, environment.”

Dawson grew up in the Bronx, and attended the Greater NY Academy in Queens (a  1977 grad), before spending a year at Manhattan Community College. He’s been operating Playmakers for the last six years.

Dawson picked up the thirst for coaching by taking a YMCA team that couldn’t find a coach, and guiding them to an unexpected playoff berth.

“I love basketball… and coaching really started by accident,” he explained.  “It was at the 23^rd street YMCA in Manhattan, I got hurt and was rehabbing. My friend ran the YMCA down there, and they formed a team that nobody wanted to coach… sort of like the Bad News Bears. So I coached that team that year, and that year we made it to the playoffs. Nobody thought we were going to make the playoffs. That’s where I caught the bug.”

Dawson made the move to Dutchess in 1996, and by 2004 it was another injury that led him to open his academy. While unable to work, Dawson started helping out a neighbor with her basketball skills. “Then all of a sudden I’m helping her friend, then her other friend, then it just started up,” he said.

With an emphasis on education, Dawson insists Playmaker participants maintain a 95 or above average in school. “We push you to excel,” he said.

Yazmin Lewis, now a junior at SUNY Plattsburgh, was a walk on player her freshman year, and said it was Dawson who made the biggest impact on her success.

“Coach had the biggest role in that,” Lewis said. “I started coming to Kenney when I was in the eighth grade, about 13 years old. I was a raw player… by the time I was with Kenney for two years I was starting for my high school team (as a sophomore). I worked with him more, and then my freshman year of college I walked on, and averaged about 15 to 20 minutes a game.”

Last year’s Plattsburg team made the SUNYAC final four, and this year “we’re looking to take the whole thing,” Lewis said with a big grin.

It’s this kind of success that brings Dawson his greatest reward.

“Just watching a kid develop,” he said. “They come to me as a fifth grader, or whatever, go all the way up – come back year, after year, after year, to earn the success… I love that. I just love it.”

Defense, defense, defense, and being a team player – a part of the family – are the priorities Dawson stresses.

And his students learn well.

“I learned that you can win a game off defense, and offense follows,” Lewis said. “How to be a team player – your team is family. Every player here knows each other – it’s a huge family, and he’s a great example of a great coach.”

Lewis was asked what she believes is the key to Dawson’s success.

“He’s the biggest motivator ever,” Lewis answered without hesitation. “He knows every player has the potential to win.  It’s Kenney… it’s that smile… he’s our biggest fan, our biggest motivator, and he never gives up on us. We know he never gives up. He knows how you tick, and always sets you up for success. When you come into this gym, you totally work hard. But when you leave, you feel good about yourself. He teaches you that if you want to work, you can become the best player you can be.”

That formula also resulted in Dawson’s 10^th Grade Playmakers Pumas team placing third (out of 68 teams) at Nationals recently. Dawson has also helped dozens of area players attain college scholarships.

The coach was asked what he tells young athletes with stars in their eyes.

“You’ve got to follow your dreams,” he said easily. “Follow your dreams with focus and direction… if you don’t dream, there’s no place for you to go. When you tell a kid you cant do something, you’re a dream killer. I believe anyone can do anything they set their mind to.”

And most of the athletes who have come in contact with Kenney Dawson would tend to agree.