Jun 16, 2002 By April Straughters Herald Standard 7 min read

A Uniontown father of five proved that a family that prays together and plays together stays together. The Rev. Vincent Winfrey said he raised his children to be close and included them in everything he was involved in.

All five children, Vince Jr., Jason, Janelle, Scott and David were athletic standouts at Uniontown High School and they all remain active members of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Uniontown where the Rev. Winfrey serves as pastor.

As they gathered at the church recently, their closeness was evident as they teased one another about who had a harder childhood growing up, who is the best athlete of the family and who got most of their father’s attention.

“We are friends. We just pick on one another and everyone gets their turn, even my wife (Marilyn),” said the Rev. Winfrey.

The Rev. Winfrey has played many roles in the lives of his children. He has been their provider, their pastor, their friend and their coach. But most of all, he has been, and continues to be, a devoted, loving father.

“I basically raised my kids as friends, but they always recognized me as their father. I think that’s how you have to do it,” he said.

The Rev. Winfrey said a minister gave him some advice a long time ago that always stuck with him.

“A minister once told me, ‘Your children need you to be there. They will remember that for the rest of their life,'” he said. “So I’ve always focused my attention on God first, family second and church third.”

“Wherever I went I had all my children with me. That is why the love is here between us. From work on they were with me,” he said.

While he’s proud of their athletic success, the Rev. Winfrey said he’s particularly pleased to see that they are all active members of his church.

Vince Jr. and Jason are deacons in the church. Along with Marilyn, Vince Jr., Jason and their wives Natalie and LaKeya make up the church’s praise team. Vince Jr. is also director of the New Direction Mass Choir, the pastor’s traveling choir, while Jason, a self-taught musician, plays the keyboard. David and Janelle sing in the church’s choirs and Scott is in the pews every Sunday.

“I’m happy that they choose to become active in the church now, when they are not under my control. It makes a father feel good,’ said the Rev. Winfrey.

Vince Jr. says their involvement with the church and their father’s ministry is enjoyable because it is what they are used to.

“This is still something we do together. We have always been a family that does everything together. This is just a continuation of that. It’s a way for us all to be together doing what we love to do,” Vince Jr. said.

Jason says it’s a matter of wanting to give his father the same support he gave the family growing up.

“He’s always supported us and encouraged us. We wanted to see his leadership excel and what better way to do that than to have your family behind you,” he said.

The Rev. Winfrey said he also tried to be involved with his children in sports. He coached them in youth baseball leagues at Bailey Park in Uniontown, where he compiled a 59-2 record in three years. But he’s probably best known for coaching his sons and other high school basketball players in various summer league tournaments over the years.

The hard work paid off. Both Scott and David starred in basketball for Uniontown High School, leading the Red Raiders to two trips to the PIAA Class AAAA state championship game in the past three years. David will join Scott on the basketball team at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg this fall.

Jason and Vince Jr. also excelled in high school sports and they’re following in their father’s coaching footsteps. Vince Jr., who played football at Thiel College, is the assistant coach for the girl’s junior high school basketball team at the Ben Franklin School in Uniontown, while Jason is an assistant coach for the Uniontown High School boys basketball team.

Janelle was also an excellent athlete, being named to the all-county track team for three years in a row.

They all remember their father being there for them. Scott said he appreciates the time and money his father invested in him, taking him to numerous basketball tournaments.

“We were tight. He was really there for me, taking me to tournaments, spending money on me, guiding me. Not too many fathers do that ,” he said.

But Scott admits that it was hard and sometimes embarrassing having his father as a coach.

“It was hard sometimes. He tells you the truth. He really tells you when you’re doing something wrong. And sometimes, he gives you this look and you know you are going to get it when you get home,” Scott said.

Jason agrees. “It was tough, having him there. He’s harder on you cause you are his kid. It makes you mad sometimes and you just want to fight,” he said with a smile.

Vince and Jason weren’t able to experience their father’s tough coaching style as youngsters because he worked the night shift. They remember though that he used to wake them up when he got home from work to ask them about their games.

They do, however, know about his tough parenting style. Vince and Jason contended that their father was much tougher on them growing up, sticking to punishments and a strict 9 p.m. bedtime.

The Rev. Winfrey admits he was harder on “the first two,” but said fathers have to learn lessons, too.

“With the first two, I was just learning how to be a dad. I was really hard on them. But with the next three, I learned that you don’t have to whip your children to make them do right. You have to teach them,” he said.

All the sons agree though, that daughter Janelle had it the easiest.

“Janelle was my father’s crowning moment. That is his soft spot,” Vince Jr. said. The boys say they used to use Janelle to make headway with their father. Sending her to ask daddy for things they know he would usually say no to, knowing what she gets, they get.

Janelle admits, “Being the only girl, does have its advantages.”

Now that his children are all out of high school, the Rev. Winfrey has more time to devote to his church, the community and, more importantly, his wife. Soon his nine grandchildren, ranging from ages 10 to 2 weeks, may fill that void, if Marilyn will allow him back on the courts and on the playground.

“My husband is a very good father. He’s dedicated to his children. He used to desert me for the kids. At least, I always knew where he was,” Marilyn said smiling. “But he’s with me now. It’s my turn.”

But the Rev. Winfrey said he misses rushing off to the basketball court after work and having to do something with his kids.

“I miss what I used to do. There’s a void now. I miss coming home to run around. I enjoyed working with my kids,” he said.

“I enjoyed having five kids. It was rough, but as long as I had enough to buy them tennis shoes when they wanted and order a pizza once in a while, it was well worth it. That’s what life is about, raising kids,’ he added.