Sorrentino Recreation Center

The Daily Plant : Monday, April 30, 2012

Stanley Brown Honored With Stubbs Davis Award

Photo by Daniel Avila

The W. Allison & Elizabeth Stubbs Davis award was founded by Parks Commissioner Gordon Davis, in honor of his parents, and recognizes Parkies who show extraordinary dedication to the communities that we serve. This year’s recipient is Stanley Brown, Recreation Director of the Sorrentino Recreation Center in Queens.

Stanley began his career with Parks in 1981 as a Recreation Assistant. After a brief break in service in 1991, Stanley returned to Parks as a year-round Recreation Specialist. In 2004, he was promoted to his current title, Recreation Director.

Stanley is renowned throughout Recreation and the Far Rockaway community and is also acclaimed in the double-dutch jump rope community for his leadership of the Pepper Steppers. Since 1971, about 5,000 youth have come through Stan’s program which started as an off the street neighborhood endeavor. Over the past four decades, Stan and the Pepper Steppers have competed in National and World Championships, winning over 100 titles in various categories. The Steppers recently earned first place in the highest speed category at the 20th Annual Double-Dutch Classic at the Apollo Theatre and fourth place in the American Double-Dutch League World Invitational championships in South Carolina. With his passion for the sport, Stan has continuously coordinated various double-dutch events at Sorrentino Recreation Center including Mommy & Me, Holiday, and Rockaway Championships.

However, double-dutch is not Stanley’s only forte. He also coaches children in flag football, baseball, and basketball. Beyond teaching the fundamentals of all of these sports, he teaches youth about sportsmanship and healthy life choices.

Stanley is also extremely active in his community. He assists with National Night Out, plays an integral role in his Community Board’s Christmas Party, volunteers as a Learning Leader in neighborhood schools and helps out at events at St. John’s Boys Home. He also lends his expertise to Trinity St. John’s Church in Hewlett where he organizes flag football and double-dutch programs and tournaments.

In Stan’s spare time (although it’s hard to imagine he has any) he enjoys martial arts, reading, and playing the drums. Stan is a staple in the community of Far Rockaway and has been a role model there for many years. His dedication to recreational opportunities for youth and dedication to Parks have earned him the Stubbs Davis Award for 2012.

This award, now in its 28th year, is formally presented at the Municipal Arts Society’s annual Summit for New York City in October.

Click here to watch an episode of It's My Park about Stan's Pepper Steppers.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.”

Carl Sagan
(1934 - 1996)