In the mid to late 90's -basketball legend Pulu Lightburn started up a programme called Midnight Basketball. The intent was to capture at risk youth and engage them in some productive activity.
Well, that programme has now been resuscitated by Restore Belize. It started on Friday night in three different neighborhoods involving as many as 100 males between the ages of 16 and 24.
Director of Restore Belize Mary Vasquez explains what the big idea is.
Mary Vasquez, Director - Restore Belize
"Actually the idea is to have positive activities taking place in areas that normally don't have a lot of positive activities and by default maybe have some criminal activity taking place. The idea is to come into these neighborhoods and bring a positive activity that young people can enjoy, can participate in either as spectators or as ballers."
"Our communities need to re-claim its public space. Our communities' needs to say: This is our community and we want good things to be happening day and night, so it's a matter of re-claiming public space for legitimate use. We are doing games right now in 3 separate neighborhoods, when we have a champion from each of those neighborhoods then we will have a finals where they would come together in a common place - not in any one of those neighborhoods."
"The persons who are playing are not necessarily gang affiliated. They may be or they may not be. The idea is to go into a neighborhood and say; who here is a community advisor that can put together a team - let's put together a team and lets play ball."
Primary sponsorship came from BTL which supplied jerseys, balls and equipment for the referees. Prizes will be given at the end of the four week tournament.
Games are played three nights a week: Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Email
Print