New Haven Independent

James Via never misses his son’s games. He said this aspect of being involved in his kids’ school life is as important as helping them with their homework, which he also does every night. Lately Nate’ has needed his help on those pints, quarts, and gallons.

(The Vias are one of three families the Independent is following this school year for a look at parental involvement in the schools.)

The evidence of sports’ role in the parent-child bond was how Michael, a swift point guard, who also steals and rattles the offense, looked over to the stands after each play. Michael’s eyes and his father’s meet, and that’s it. No shouting, no cheering, no words are exchanged from the very laid back Mr. Via. Yet there is palpable current flowing between father and son.

“He just wants to be sure I’ve seen what he’s done. Michael grew up watching me play basketball and football. It’s a big thing between us.”

Michael started playing sports, at which he’s adept, at the suggestion of one of the assistant principals at King/Robinson. He played flag football in the fall; the family was too late to enroll him in Pop Warner League, but that’s coming. After b-ball there will be baseball this spring. The idea was for the sports to be an outlet for the fourth grader’s high energy, which sometimes has interfered with his academic concentration. And the result thus far?

“Well,” said James Via, with half a smile, half a shrug, as Michael made a nifty steal, dribbled down the lane, and passed off cleanly, as his dad made the slightest nod toward him. “The teachers haven’t been calling. So that’s really good. Really good.”

The King/Robinson team has lost every game. They actually weren’t doing too well this night against Wexler Grant, but Michael said he’s not bothered. He enjoys the game and he certainly was giving it his all. James Via, a good point guard player himself, thought the team should spread out especially on the half-court offense.

He’s not just talking, either. The practices are after school Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — with the games every Friday — for an half hour.

“I’m going to drop by and help out,” said Via. Did Michael like the idea? Absolutely. Does the coach know yet? Via said he wasn’t sure, but there should be no problem. “He knows I know the game. I noticed when I saw Michael practice, that some of the kids are sitting, so I’ll take the kids the coach isn’t working with and do some drills with them.”

Via’s daughters, seventh-grader Jameisha and fifth grader Nate’, like to cheer for their brother, but they follow their dad’s example too, and are exceptionally cool. As the boys ran up and down — girls are little in evidence on the elementary school teams, although a tall girl from Barnard Environmental waited on the sidelines to play — Jameisha said she was proud of her brother, but of her own grades as well.

She took the opportunity proudly to tell a reporter that the C she got in history in the last marking period will be a B+, Science will go up from B- to B+, and Language Arts from C to A in the next marking period.

Nate’ is an honor-level student, and the only non-athlete in the family. Jameisha is going to play baseball in the spring, James Via said.

Athletics are also a way for the family to bond even when school’s not directly involved.

For example, he was running regular miles over the past years, he said, to prepare to take the New Haven police department physical. “I started doing this, with the kids following me on their bikes, but gradually they began to run with me. Jameisha was usually in the lead, but over this weekend, when I ran a mile and a half, the girls both dropped out and Michael kept up with me. We finished in 20 minutes.”

The Wexler-Grant team vanquished Michael’s King/Robinson squad by the score of 22 to 11. No matter, Michael was smiling and couldn’t even pose for a final picture with his dad and sisters; he had already gone off for a sleepover with a teammate.

For previous installments in the Independent’s series on parental involvement in local schools, click on:

Dad Goes To The Top, Gets Results

Parents, M&Ms Join In Math Lesson

Xena Tunes Up. Mom, Too.

Brandon Aims For The Blue Shirt

Mr. Via Confers, Brings Ice

Night-Shift Waitress Hangs Up Apron

Xena Aces Bingo

Mom Gets A Politics Pep Talk

Dad Meets The Teachers. All Of ‘Em

Ms. Lopez Moves Brandon’s Seat

Night-Shift Waitress Gets Xena To Class On Time

Dad Marked Present

Fifth-Graders Get “Amistadized”

Board of Ed To Parents: Get Involved!

Sumrall Looks To Parents

Task Force Hones Plan for Kids

The New St. Martin DePorres Comes Home

Parents Graduate

Parents Hit the Books

“Parent Power” Hits The Park

Good-Bye Recess. Hello Take 10.

Sumrall Looks To Parents

Task Force Hones Plan For Kids

Parents Graduate

Parents, Teachers, Docs Seek An Earlier Start