07/14/2007

Blessings and Basketball

Local pastor creates camaraderie on court

By ERIN CROMWELL
Special to the Record-Eagle

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
Dave Ramage during an open session at the NMC gym.

TRAVERSE CITY — Between noon and 2 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the echo of bouncing basketballs can be heard in the Northwestern Michigan College gym.

Players of all ages come to open recreation to sharpen their skills and play a few games. Most are male, have a variety of jobs and come from different backgrounds.

Dave Ramage, a youth pastor for The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City, is a regular at open gym. Also known to his teammates as "Pastor Dave,” Ramage has played basketball at the college for more than 10 years. In addition to his six years on church leagues and a lifetime of experience, Ramage uses basketball to stay in shape, have fun and form new friendships.

"Sometimes I think of church as a social fishbowl,” he said. "(Basketball) represents, to me, kind of the 'real world,' a chance to reach others.”

While open gym includes time between games to sit and talk with players, the real bonding happens on the court, Ramage said.

"I always think of the quote from 'The Matrix,' something to the effect of, 'You don't know someone until you fight them,'” he said. "Instead of just sitting around talking about feelings, playing ball allows you to really get to know them.”

Basketball has helped Ramage to reach individuals on a personal level; one in particular comes to mind.

"He was an unbelievable player, but so full of himself,” Ramage said. "He would drive (the ball) and I would just step aside and swat it away. I heard through a friend what he had said later: 'God's using this pastor to humble me.'

"God used basketball to bring us together.”

Originally from Ashland, Ohio, Ramage earned his B.A. in religion and philosophy at Ashland University. From there he went on to seminary school to earn a master's in divinity at Princeton Theological University in Princeton, New Jersey. Ramage, along with his wife Terrie and daughters Hannah and Mallory, moved to Traverse City in 1996. Less than a year later, Ramage found a home at the NMC gym.

For his 40th birthday, as a way to thank his teammates, Ramage invited all the NMC players for a barbecue and a day of hoops at a park.

"I can get kind of sappy,” he said. "I told them that if they didn't have a church or if they needed anything, I would be there — marriages, funerals, counseling…they could call me.”

Soon after, Ramage received wedding requests from some of his players, including Jon Rader. Remembering Ramage's offer of service, Rader didn't hesitate to ask his friend to perform the ceremony uniting him and his fiancée.

"Dave's a good guy, so it was just natural (he marry us),” Rader said.

Ramage was recently asked to officiate another wedding, scheduled next June for fellow basketball player Carl Vicent and his fiancée, Amber Lockhart.

Players are not fazed by Ramage's role as a pastor. They said he is like every other guy in the gym, although many have learned to watch their occasional language slip-ups.

"Every now and then someone will apologize for swearing,” Ramage said. "And I'll ask them sometimes, 'Do you occasionally get mad and swear at your wife? Well I'm no more holy or respectable than your wife.'”

Ramage does not preach to other players, though. Instead, he says a silent prayer each day he walks into the gym.

"I pray that God uses me, if he wants to,” Ramage said. "It's a blessing every single day I get to play.”