Next Generation of Ballers: girls build on Positivity and passion

By Tammy Leytham/Contributing Freelancer
When trainer Chiené delight Jones steps onto the basketball court, her enthusiasm is contagious. Jones runs grow Our game in Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Arabia Saudita new York City, a totally free program that encourages girls to play basketball. Camiseta Leicester City When it closed out its program on June 30, grow Our game had worked with 140 girls between the ages of four and 10 from underserved communities in the city. The program met the challenges of being hit hard by the pandemic by moving to a virtual platform for much of the year.

When it closed out its program on June 30, grow Our game had worked with 140 girls between the ages of four and 10 from underserved communities in the city.
“Girls basketball is just as essential as young boys basketball,” Jones said. “Young girls ought to be looking up to other women who are doing really well.”

Jones, who was named the 2020 Knicks Junior trainer of the Year, believes teaching girls the sport of basketball empowers them to achieve their dreams. The programs start with little Ballers, allowing players to learn the fundamentals of the sport while building confidence and developing social and emotional skills.

Basketball was started in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor at the YMCA international training School, now Springfield college in Massachusetts. developed to keep athletes in shape during cold weather, it first consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball.

With this year’s Tokyo Olympics underway, men’s basketball is a sport dominated by the U.S. team. USA men’s basketball team has won a medal in all 18 Olympics in which they competed—15 gold, one silver, and two bronze. The USA women’s team has earned the gold in six consecutive Olympics and boasts a sterling 58-3 record (results of this year’s Olympic games were not available at print deadline).

With the fanfare and hoopla of the international Olympic Games, and NBA and WNBA seasons, it’s easy to forget those dreams start on neighborhood courts, school gyms, and YMCAs, like where the game was created. much more than 24 million players shoot hoops in the U.S. each year, according to the sports & fitness industry association Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Ecuador 2020 report. While numerous other team sports saw drops in participation rates, basketball slightly enhanced overall at 2.4 percent. but the increase was higher among children—the same report showed an 11.4 percent increase among those ages six to 12.

Aspen project Play estimates four million children ages six to 12 play basketball every year in the U.S., and another 3.4 million ages 13 to17 participate in the sport. another million players participate at the high school level. keep in mind, these are pre-pandemic numbers.

It’s no longer just a sport to keep athletes fit during the winter. In fact, basketball tournaments, competitions, and workshops are now held year-round. As a result of slightly enhancing popularity, Jones is seeing enthusiasm for the sport grow with youth in NYC.

“We are seeing much more and much more families give consent for their daughters to learn the game of basketball at a much younger age,” Jones said. “Our responsibility is to continue to build community and love for the game of basketball, while championing multi-sports participation in general.”

A important need

Among the first steps is identifying affordable and available gyms. “New York City has a plethora of sports facilities, specifically gyms, yet the access to them are incredibly rare because many are owned by the nyc department of Education,” Jones said. “Identifying essential partnerships with community-based organizations has been a real service for grow Our game when it concerns the crisis of inexpensive gym spaces.”

Tom Farrey, executive director of sports and society Program at The Aspen Institute, agrees much more accessibility is essential. “I would say there is a need for much more basketball facilities, given the demand for the sport,” Farrey said. “The real need is for basketball facilities in communities of need, much more than facilities mainly constructed for sports tourism. kids need places to play that are near their homes, limiting transportation barriers to entry.”

The Crenshaw YMCA in Los Angeles recently transformed its facility, re-opening its doors in June to a reimaged space. donations from Jordan brand and Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? foundation helped reinvigorate the facility, with brightly colored walls, inspirational quotes, and designs inspired  by its members throughout the process. Westbrook, an NBA All-Star who hails from the neighborhood, attended the opening with his family, unveiling the brand-new basketball court and taking photos with the kids. Westbrook, a nine-time NBA All-Star and the league’s 2016-17 many important Player,plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, previously playing for the Washington Wizards, and famously spending time with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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