Basketball for Betterment
Will Taylor (12-4)
Photo courtesy of Will Taylor (12-4)
Basketball is a legacy, one that is etched into the streets and murals of Philadelphia. Basketball is a legacy instilled in the kids that grew up in Philadelphia, who were forced to shoot around on backboards with bullet holes drilled through them. It is not solely a game that is affordable and present, it is necessary. Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB), a nonprofit organization based in our city, recognizes this. They have continuously made steps to prevent youth violence and create opportunities for young people through the medium of basketball since 2015. PYB is full of staff and coaches/mentors that have all played basketball at some form of collegiate or competitive level, so every adult mentor that is around the kids knows the impact that basketball has on kids that need an outlet.
PYB focuses its efforts on neighborhoods and families in Philly that require its benefits and kids that can develop their potential as student-athletes. The organization runs a Middle School Partnership Program (MSPP), which they started in 2016 and gives kids time after school in the fall and spring to play basketball and do their schoolwork with support from PYB coaches/mentors.
PYB saw a pattern with kids in Philadelphia. During virtual school less than 60% of black and hispanic students had good class attendance. There are also the problems of external factors such as electricity and nutritious food that affected how a student could learn when not physically in school, so PYB decided to act on these issues.
There is not one program in PYB’s arsenal that doesn’t incorporate basketball. Elementary school and middle school kids won’t always show up to tutoring or guided learning if it means that’s all they will be doing. All of PYB’s programs are basketball-centric so that kids show up and have fun while learning the lessons that are necessary for further development in life. It is a necessary organization and one that is worthy of all the support it receives.
Photo courtesy of Will Taylor (12-4)
At its inception, this program was made up of 80 kids from North Philadelphia and the neighboring communities, and 12 mentors, each mentor focusing on about 8 kids. Now, there are over 400 kids and the same 8:1 ratio of kids to mentors.
In Philadelphia, around 54% of households with children are single parent households. This program is vital because many kids in impoverished neighborhoods are returning home to an empty house since their parents are working to provide for them. MSPP gives these kids a chance to be around peers of their own age after school and caring coaches/mentors in a fun learning environment.
In the past, PYB partnered with colleges around Philly such as St. Joseph's University and Temple University amongst others for their Collegiate Summer Camp Series. In this program, kids were able to attend a summer camp that ran for a week at each college, totaling up to seven possible weeks that participants could attend. In this summer camp, coaches not only taught basketball on the court, but in the classroom as well. This program was more basketball-centric than the Middle School Partnership Program, but there was still a learning environment that kids could use for fun while growing their critical thinking skills. That program has evolved since the COVID outbreak, since every college that was in partnership with PYB withdrew from the program due to health restrictions. PYB will soon open a new center in Nicetown, where the summer camp and other programs can run, but this lack of enriching summer activities was difficult for both parents and children in Philly.
To combat these unfortunate cancellations, PYB started a new, in-person camp series called Lace Up Learn Up at the 23rd Street Armory. The camp was focused on building fundamental basketball skills, as well as academics so kids didn’t experience summer learning loss. This location also housed PYB’s Learning Pods, which were in-person, safely regulated learning experiences during the school calendar year. Kids could learn virtually while surrounded by peers and mentors so they weren’t sitting alone at home (I know most Philadelphia School District students wouldn’t have minded this). They were also able to practice basketball with their friends during their break periods or after school.