Sometimes it is not so fun to be a loner. But in Qwyn Durrett's case, he made it work. He followed his favorite quote to the letter. "If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away," (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Durrett, 36 years old, started the East Lansdowne Youth, Inc. Known as E.L.Y., its purpose is to increase opportunities for amateur girls' basketball competition and skill development in the Delaware County area. It is a non-profit organization.

Starting the athletic corporation was far from easy, Durrett explained. He first had to break away from the popular and well established Lansdowne Boys' and Girls' Club. "I had been a part of the club for 6 years in any sport my daughter was involved with. My last season with the LBGC was February, 2009," Durrett said.

It was during his last season with LBGC that he heard bits and pieces of parent disatisfaction. According to Durrett, LBGC's enrollment greatly decreased in 2009, and many parents came to Durrett for answers.

"I believe the parents saw my passion, and liked the fact that (as a coach), I treated their children like family not just stats and money. My relationships with the parents developed into friendships," Durrett said.

Durrett took the parents concerns to heart and decided that he could offer an alternative to the LBGC. Knowing that it would be difficult, he never doubted himself. Right away, he went to family and friends for support. His wife, Jeanine Durrett, and father-in-law, Michael Pratt, lawyer, were Durrett's bookends of support. Pratt carved out the legal road for Durrett.

"If Michael had not been involved, (the league) would not have happened. His law firm helped to move and cut loads of red tape," Durrett said. "I also give a lot of thanks to Brenda Smerigan, Delval Youth Sports President. She gave me confidence." And local companies donated over $5,000 to help Durrett's non-profit team.

In 2009, Durrett had all the pieces he needed to form E.L.Y. including 22 girls of 12 years and younger. He named his team the Rebels. While raising a family of 2, working full time, going to school, and being a good husband, Durrett still made time to nurture and help his Rebels thrive. Durrett spends countless hours coaching, attending coach camps, promoting the team, and developing plays.

"It is so rewarding to see their growth. Most of the girls had never played basketball before," Durrett said. "I want to slow cook what I have in this team. I want to be really organized, and give people a team they can trust and believe in," he said.

For more information on the Rebels, please log onto www.elybasketball.org or call (610) 357-1614