‘Hoops In The Hood’ About More than Just Basketball

A news report from Ivan Villafuerte, Neighborhood Sports Chicago/LISC Chicago’s New Communities Program

As the jubilant members of the East Garfield Park basketball team celebrated, straining to touch the trophy they had just claimed, it was clear they had won more than a basketball game and a gold statue.

The 2010 Hoops in the Hood Cross-City Tournament winners for the major division also had won a victory for their neighborhood, and the spirit of teamwork, sportsmanship and safe streets, that’s a hallmark of the Hoops in the Hood program.

The fourth annual tournament, held on Aug. 21 at Seward Park, featured 250 players, and teams from 10 different Chicago neighborhoods. There were three divisions: Major (15 to 19 years old), Minor (11 to 14) and Pee-wee (8 to 10).

East Garfield Park took home the major division title, while Little Village won the minor division and the pee-wee champs hailed from North Lawndale.

But winning wasn’t the only triumph on a hot Saturday afternoon. Just being at the tournament, which was the culmination of summer-long basketball leagues where athletes, parents and community members reclaimed the streets of their neighborhoods, was a significant achievement.

“Programs like Hoops in the Hood bring communities together, which is so important when many people worry about violence in our streets,” said Keri Blackwell, senior program officer for LISC/Chicago, which organizes and supports Hoops in the Hood. “There are so many young people in Chicago looking for safe and fun activities, but often they have to overcome large obstacles to participate in them.”

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