We all know that if kids had something to do besides running wild in the streets they would have more opportunities at becoming successful in life. As I have said before I grew up in Galewood one of the western most neighborhoods in Cook County. Having friends from all over the city I was privileged enough to be able to get a taste of life from all different kinds of perspectives and cultures.
People I knew in the Austin neighborhood were a part of a summer basketball tournament in the gym at the LeClaire Courts. We were in the tournament for two years straight and we managed to reach the championship one year but lost only by a few points.
I can remember the entire neighborhood showing up for most of the games and the gym was filled with kids, adults, teenagers, and older folks. That gym brought the entire community together even if it was for just a few games. No one seemed to be outside during the games because they were all inside watching us play one of their teams or two of their teams playing each other.
We were a team from the west side of Chicago and they were teams from the south side in and around the LeClaire Courts housing development. We were outsiders but we were always treated with respect during and after games. If we had been a horrible team and not good like we were, things might have gone a little differently.
Being the only white kid for miles didn’t get to me in games cause I had already learned to overcome that trivial aspect of life many years before, so it was always fun to go and play at LeClaire Courts. It kept me out of trouble but I wasn’t the one in real danger because I lived in a decent neighborhood with a mother and father that gave me all the opportunities in life I could ask for.
On the other hand the kids that lived in and around LeClaire Courts are the one who benefitted the most. Thanks to the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Park District this tournament was possible. We need programs and summer tournaments like this all across the city because Chicago’s youth deserve the opportunity to grow up and make a positive impact on their family’s lives and the world as a whole.
You can type in LeClaire Courts in Google just to get a better notion of what the community is like and its summer tournaments or follow this link to the info that the Chicago Park District gave on the LeClaire Community: http://tinyurl.com/4txxu6f
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