Name: Dr. Robert Spooney
Game Honored: Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers (4/25/21)
“We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed.”
That is a famous quote from Frederick Douglas, a prominent activist, author and public speaker in America in the 19th century. It’s a benchmark statement that at an early age resonated with Dr. Robert Spooney, an exemplary pastor, preacher, teacher and social activist who epitomizes focused leadership.
Douglas’ message motivates Spooney, an Orlando native, to help others in the community realize their full potential. It’s a joyous feeling he gets when he sees people overcome obstacles.
“I can use a sports analogy,” he said. “How would a coach feel when one of his players who may have been marginal and he takes that player and trains that player, teaches that player, coaches that player and that player becomes an All-Star? And although the player has all the accolades, the coach would be absolutely pumped as well. I say that to say that it gives me great joy to watch people do better after trying. Understanding if they are listening to you and they are following the advice or the guidance that you’ve given them and it actually comes to fruition or turns into success for them, it makes you feel good.”
Years ago, Spooney was a volunteer assistant football coach for two seasons at his alma mater, Florida A&M University, where his brother-in-law and former Cincinnati Bengals all-time great cornerback Ken Riley was the head coach. Spooney recalls a punter from that team who was exceptional in practice, but early on was scared during games because of the big crowds.
Spooney spent a lot of time working with that player and getting him to focus and not be distracted by what wasn’t in his control. That player his senior year, with Spooney’s guidance, became a Division I-AA All-American punter.
“I tell people this all the time. If you focus and concentrate on what it is that you want to accomplish, it can be done. Whether it’s pulling up your bootstraps and trying to come out of poverty, whether it’s looking for a job, whether it’s learning how to shoot a basketball. If you focus and you just do the fundamental things that are needed, you’ll do better,” he said. “It makes me feel great when somebody moves from one level to the next because what it does it shows somebody behind them that it can be done.”
Background: Spooney, a graduate of Jones High School in Orlando before earning his Bachelor of Science Degree in History and Education from Florida A&M in 1973, is the Pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Institutional Church, the oldest African American Church in Orlando. He currently serves as the Treasurer and Bible Expositor for the West Coast Baptist Association of the Florida General Baptist Convention and he is the immediate past President of the Congress of Christian Education of the West Coast Baptist Association, Florida General Baptist Convention. In addition, he is the former president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. He also serves as Chairman of the OCPS Academy of Academic Excellence Community Relations Council and Chairman of the Parramore Community Engagement Council.
From 1973-1996, he worked at BellSouth Business Systems, where he served in a variety of regional and national level sales management positions in Orlando, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Fort Lauderdale. Spooney was the first African-American to receive the coveted BellSouth President Award for outstanding sales management and leadership and he is a seven-time member of BellSouth’s prestigious President’s Club and an eight time member of BellSouth’s Summit Club. In 1987, he was selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America and in 1989 he enrolled and completed the BellSouth Executive MBA program at Nova University.
Spooney received his Masters of Theology in 1997 from Logos Bible College and Graduate School. In March 2001, he earned the Doctor of Theology Degree from Slidell Baptist Theological Seminary of Slidell, Louisiana and from May 2001 to Aug. 2002, he taught as an adjunct professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He also serves as an Associate Professor at Logos Graduate School and Bible College. Spooney is also a 2005 graduate of the Summer Leadership Institute of Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While in South Florida, he served as an Associate Pastor and Minister of Ministries at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Pompano Beach, Florida under the tutelage of his father in the ministry, Rev. Dr. R. C. Stanley. He has also served as Pastor of St. James Freewill Baptist Church in Winter Haven, Florida, Associate Minister of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida and Associate Minster of Fellowship Baptist Church of Pine Hills.
Proud of the Magic: Spooney has seen with his own eyes through the years the impact the Orlando Magic have made on the community with their participation in various outreach programs. Grateful the Magic have recognized him for his contributions, he commends the Magic, head coach Steve Clifford and all the players for stepping up and taking action.
“Doing the right thing is doing the right thing,” he said. “I think because they are in the spotlight and they have a platform automatically that it’s important that organizations such as the Magic and even individual players to stand out for what’s right. There is something that’s called ethics and ethics is nothing but a code of conduct and a code of conduct means you ought to follow the rules and do the right things. And there’s a code of conduct in life and therefore if everybody followed the code of conduct in life than we would not necessarily need to have social justice issues because we would all act accordingly.”
About the Program: As part of the Magic and Clifford’s continuing efforts toward social justice reform, he created the Social Justice Game Changer program to honor one local leader who has made a difference in the realm of social justice issues. A cause close to his heart, Clifford is extremely active in programs that support equality and justice for all people in the Central Florida community.
Through this program, Clifford looks to put the spotlight on those continuously doing the hard work, day in and day out, fighting for sustainable change. As part of his program, one person is selected and honored each game. The honorees are given tickets, provided by Clifford, to the game and featured in-arena on the Magic Vision screen at center court.
“The purpose is to honor and to celebrate so many of the people in the Orlando community who are fighting for change and who commit their lives to making Orlando a better place,” Clifford said. “It’s just a way to celebrate them, what they stand for, and what they do for our community.”
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April 24, 2021 at 09:22PM
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