Mayor Jack Ford, looking to target at-risk and overweight youths with specialized recreation and educational programs, hired former pro basketball player and Toledo native Todd Mitchell in July for the job.

Mr. Mitchell, a St. Francis de Sales and Purdue University graduate who played in the NBA and overseas for 10 years, moved from Los Angeles to take the job of manager of special projects for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry.

“Los Angeles is Los Angeles and all it has to offer, but the mayor was talking to me about the possibility of doing something like this before he was elected,” Mr. Mitchell said. “When he became mayor, we talked again and I believed in the direction he was going and wanted to be a part of it.”

Mr. Mitchell, 36, who will be paid $52,998.40 annually, was doing color basketball commentary on ESPN and working in the accounting department of an automobile sales business in Los Angeles before committing to join Mr. Ford's team.

“We're targeting youth you don't normally get involved in school athletic programs,” Mr. Ford said.

He said youngsters who are not active often run the risk of physical ailments, or even worse, find themselves involved in illegal activities.

Jay Black, the mayor's chief of staff, said Mr. Mitchell, who has a degree in business marketing, was a perfect fit for the position.

“A guy like Todd is going to be recognizable to the kids here,” Mr. Black said. “He's going to be able to attract them. Todd also has a way with kids that we think is going to help him do his job.”

Mr. Black said Mr. Mitchell will concentrate on what is considered “nontraditional” sports in the central city and try to build programs in which young people can participate annually. A soccer league will begin next weekend as the first project.

Mr. Mitchell said a golf program, targeting minorities, is in the works for the spring.

Recreation director Mary Dixon, Mr. Black said, concentrates on more traditional sports like football and basketball and she had little time to take on the additional responsibilities the mayor wanted to target.

Mr. Black said Mr. Mitchell's duties didn't fit within the realm of the city's youth commission because the commission is not designed to support recreational programs. He said he does not see Mr. Mitchell's position as a duplication of jobs.

Kattie Bond, manager of public service with the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry, said Mr. Mitchell reports to her and Director Theresa Gabriel. Ms. Bond said she handles the budget and is acting director when Ms. Gabriel is away. Mr. Mitchell's first project will be forming a soccer league that will play in Smith Park on Dorr Street. Mr. Mitchell said 60 youths attended a soccer clinic in August and they will make up the nucleus of the league.

Though the league will hold its games at Smith Park, the league will be open to all Toledo youths. He said he expects about 100 youngsters to take part. Mr. Mitchell said no city funds will be used to run the league. He said he raised about $20,000 through private donations for the league's first year.

“I saw how successful soccer was in the suburbs and thought we need to take advantage of that,” Mr. Mitchell said.

Mr. Mitchell said his projects will go beyond sports. He said he will be developing a program for overweight youth and will target at-risk youth in various after-school programs.

At a thin 6-foot-7, Mr. Mitchell looks as though he could still run the court with many of the professionals he played against. He retired from pro basketball in 1999 after playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and overseas in Greece, France, Italy, and Israel.

He was an All-American at Purdue after leading St. Francis to the Division I state basketball title in 1983. Mr. Mitchell's wife, Lisa, and daughter, Torrie, 5, have moved to Toledo with him.

First Published September 3, 2002, 10:51 a.m.