Atlantic Ave Magazine - January 2020

egulars | city people
by diane feen | Photo by Melissa korman
A Delray Treasure
Reggie Dobard Sr. is a beacon of
light in a constellation of stars made
up of those who walk beside him.
His history is legend and his work in the Delray Beach School
system and at Pompey Park are like a warm blanket that
wraps around Delray.
To an outsider the name Reggie Dobard may not ring a bell, but to
those who have grown up in Delray Beach it’s as melodious as a choir.
“Reggie is a modern-day hero. He’s a phenomenal person who has
always been there with open arms for me and the entire community
at large. He embraces everyone,” said his Godson Patrick Glover.
Glover has a point. Reggie has been an emotional and physical
safety net for everyone – young and old. He taught Physical Education,
drivers training and was a basketball coach at Atlantic High
School for over 37 years. After retiring from teaching he went back
to his home away from home – Pompey Park.
Pompey Park is where Dobard spent his youth playing sports
and where he learned to swim. It was called Teen Town Center
then, but to Dobard it was the center of his gravity.
He was also quite close to Mrs. Pompey, who played a pivotal
role in his life. Not only were they neighbors, but Mrs. Pompey was
the librarian at his school and Mr. Pompey was the civics teacher
and football coach.
“At Carver I would help out in the library by putting books back
on the shelf. My friends would tease me, but I was close to Mrs.
Pompey. She brought culture to the Park; I was in her plays and she
taught me to crochet.”
Reggie could handle the pokes and jokes about his library prowess.
That’s because he was 6-foot-5-inches tall and a star basketball
and football player at Carver High School. He was not only inducted
into the National Negro Basketball Hall of Fame but also named All-
American Basketball Player.
Reggie left Delray Beach to attend Bethune-Cookman University
in Daytona. But he never lost sight of Pompey Park. During summer
breaks he was the Pompey Park lifeguard and a Parks and Recreation
Supervisor.
Reggie’s love affair with mentoring and coaching kids at Pompey
Park continued while he was teaching (after school) and after he
retired. In 2015 the City of Delray Parks and Recreation presented
him with a proclamation for his 50 years of service. In 2017 they
named the gymnasium basketball court at Pompey Park after him
for recognition and appreciation of his service.
And boy does he serve. It’s been 55 years now and Reggie’s influence
can be seen on every footprint and smile around Pompey
Park. To some he was the consummate coach, mentor, swim teacher
and disciplinarian – but he sealed in their respect with unconditional
love and support.
He has 10 biological children, but senior club leader La Tonia
doesn’t agree. “Reggie has more than 10 kids. Every kid that walks
in the front and back door belongs to him. He’s the history to this
building and the community. He’s known from Maine to Spain.”
That’s for sure. Reggie has been a surrogate father to generations
of children in Delray Beach. And after 55 years at Pompey
Park, he’s not ready to give up that moniker.
His title is still a supervisory one, and his duties include making
sure the field is cut, cured, marked and ready for games and processions,
but that’s not his unofficial title.
That would be Goodwill Ambassador and godfather to the entire
community. His door at Pompey Park is always open and young
children frequently pop in to say ‘hello’ or have a friendly chat.
“Reggie is a living legend. He has an amazing knowledge of Delray
and I can talk to him about anything. He listens and gives advice.
I’ve never met anyone like him. People come to him for advice
– his door is always open if you need to talk,” said Prentice Mobley,
Recreation Supervisor at Pompey Park.
Reggie was also a role model to Dondrea Swint. “When I was a
kid Reggie kept me out of trouble. I was hanging around the wrong
people and Reggie told me I was better than that. Now I run track
at college and am studying sports medicine.”
The accolades that tumble his way are like mist after a storm.
When people see him, they honk their horns out of respect and
love. But it doesn’t puff him up or inflate his ego.
That’s because Reggie seems to know that leading children in the
path of goodness is his calling. “I enjoy working with young people
and I try to give them skills that will make their lives better. I came
from a loving home where respect for adults was instilled in me.”
According to Glover, Reggie was always the saint amidst the potential
storms of life. “When we were young there was free tutoring
at Pompey Park on Saturday mornings. Reggie made sure the
center was open seven days a week. It was also a food distribution
center and he was always there to make sure it went smoothly.”
Reggie was Eddie Odom 111’s favorite teacher and Candi Odom
Gauff’s swim teacher. “When I dropped Candi off for swim lessons,
she held on tight to me, but when I picked her up, she was smiling,”
said mother, Yvonne Odom.
The head supervisor at Pompey Park, Rashod Smith, also sings
his praises and is in awe of the man who walks softly but has the
inner strength of a Sumo Wrestler.
“I can talk to Reggie about anything. He has an amazing knowledge
of Delray, listens and gives advice. I’ve never met anyone like
him, he’s truly a living legend. People come to him for advice - his
door is always open if you need to talk.”
Though he was not Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, we
honor him for his 55 years of service to Delray and its citizens -
young and old.
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www.AtlanticAveMagazine.com | january 2020 | 95