We are the Lions

CROSSOVER

LIONS

Our commitment is to producing athletes that excel both on and off the field.

We are the Lions

by Tomika Gray

People. Passion. Purpose. I became a part of the Crossover track team in 2014 because of the love that I have for the sport and because I saw a need for Crossover to grow and expand into new sports! Crossover had been very successful in football, basketball and baseball; my family has been involved in each of these sports as coaches and participants since 2012.

A track program is surprisingly expensive. Each year we need approximately $10,000

to cover the cost of training equipment, travel, track meet fees, uniforms, lodging and food. Last year, I went into a very well known (and my favorite) boutique in Tulsa with the hopes of gaining a sponsor for our team! Toshia Wilson, the “Team Mom Extraordinaire/Team Manager” and I were going from business to business trying to get sponsorships for our team. We walked into the boutique praying that we would get a sponsorship; it was very hot, and

we had already been turned down several times. We shopped around a bit and began the conversation with an introduction about our team and what we were doing to the wonderful ladies behind the counter. As we were explaining our goal, we caught the attention of the owner. The owner walked over, and she began to ask us about the Crossover Lions!

We informed her that we were volunteer track coaches that have spent our last 4

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we want to provide our kids with youth sports opportunities that are available in the other parts of Tulsa, and we wanted to make sure that we kept the costs as low as possible.

-Tomika Gray

summers developing student-athletes and leaders in north Tulsa! We told her that the Lions are a part of a community development organization that seeks to “Restore Our Community,” through any means (or passions) available to us, even track and field! We also mentioned that we want to provide our kids with youth sports opportunities that are available in the other parts of Tulsa, and we wanted to make sure that we kept the costs as low as possible, so that it was not a barrier to participate. We also mentioned that when we travel to the USA Track and Field National and Regional Championships that we use it as a time to educate our athletes and take the time to visit historical sites when possible.

She was so impressed by all that we were doing and the passion that we displayed that she asked me what we needed. I told her we needed about $7,000 to cover the rest of the registration fees for some of the families and to cover the costs for hotels rooms for Regionals and Nationals. Her response was, “Are you guys really going door to door to ask for sponsorships?” We said “Yes!” She replied, “I remember when I had to sell chocolate, and I ate it all.” She was so impressed that we were taking the time away from work to help get the sponsorships and even more impressed that we were going door to door.

After a few moments she said, I will give you the full amount!!!! Toshia and I began crying immediately! We were completely floored by her generous and gracious response! This reminded me that Galatians 6:9 says, “Do not grow weary in doing good for at the right time you’ll receive a

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harvest if you do not give up!” I was energized to come back to coach another year and to raise funds for our kids another year, and to sacrificially love the kids and the families on the track team another year as a result of this and many other experiences!

I will never forget her and her act of kindness. She told me after drying my tears, “You should have asked for a car!” I will go into this fundraising season asking for cars; watch out Tulsa!

Tomika Gray, “Coach T,” is a talented and resourceful woman that is able to diligently spin straw into gold. She loves people with a transforming love, and she shares this characteristic with her entire family that sacrificially cares for others. She is a member of the Board of Directors for CCI, and her family has been a part of Crossover Bible Church since 2006. She is all about developing people, and accordingly, she is able to “coach” people to greatness!

Crossover Sports Association has an array of sports offerings such as Track and Field, Football, Basketball, Baseball and Cheer. To learn more information about Crossover Sports Association, please go to http://www.crossoverlions.org.