We are thrilled to have Marvin Kilgore join the Philadelphia Youth Basketball staff as the Assistant Program Director, as well as one of the Head Coaches within the upcoming Middle 
School Partnership Program. Among other valuable qualities, Marvin brings PYB a wealth of experience both playing and coaching basketball, seven years of program and camp management, and a deep understanding and mutual appreciation for the Logan Neighborhood of North Philadelphia.
In his new positions, Marvin is responsible for a portion of the school, staff, and student-athlete recruitment for our after-school program and the organization of several events that are central to PYB’s current and future programming. Additionally, Marvin will take on a leadership role and manage one of the partnering school sites.
Born and raised in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Marvin graduated from Olney High School and went on to attend the University of Texas at El Paso. Point guard on the University’s men’s basketball team, Marvin excelled and later competed professionally overseas for five years in Brazil, France, Germany, Israel, and Mexico.
Upon his return to the states, Marvin has dedicated much of his time and efforts to giving back to the Logan community. Marvin founded his own foundation and serves approximately 300 kids each summer through his basketball-based camp.
“It’s completely free,” Marvin states, “The kids are provided basketball skill-building instruction, three meals per day, a uniform, and a presentation from a relevant guest speaker.”
Furthermore, every year Marvin takes part in Christmas toy drives, as well as Thanksgiving food drives.
Marvin says that his motivation to give back stems from his own experiences growing up. “When I was younger, Jerome Allen and Rasheed Wallace did it for me and those experiences impacted me in a huge way. I want to do the same thing and inspire kids in a similar way.”
Marvin is not the first active community member from the Kilgore family. His grandfather was a PAL officer and managed the Police Athletic League (PAL) Center within the Logan Neighborhood. Just as his grandfather raised the community’s young people, this responsibility has been passed down through the generations, and now is Marvin’s turn to help his neighbors.
The Logan section, particularly the Logan Triangle, a vast expansion of land which was the site of a demolition of 957 homes in the late 1980’s, is the future location of PYB’s all-encompassing, basketball-based center. Marvin believes that the center will bring positive change for not only Logan’s kids, but for the entire community and all of the city’s young people.
“I think the center is going to benefit everyone greatly. Everyone is excited about it. The center will provide kids with a safe place to play and simply just be a kid again,” Marvin notes, “With all of the crime in the city, our city’s young people cannot really play and be free to be a kid. The center will allow them to enjoy their childhood.”
Marvin believes that PYB’s mission aligns with that of his own. “Its intentions are the same as mine. The staff, board of directors, and supporters just want to help kids and provide opportunities for them to be successful. It doesn’t matter if they are blue chip athletes. They just want to help kids.”
We are fortunate to have someone like Marvin be a part of the PYB family. As year 2 of the Middle School Partnership quickly approaches, we look forward to working together to impact the lives of our city’s young people.
Fun Fact about Marvin: Throughout Marvin’s life he has lived in 6 different countries (Brazil, France, Germany, Israel, Mexico, United States) and seven different states (Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas).
By Diana Venezia, Fund Development Coordinator