Youth basketball teams compete to be crowned as “Kings of Court”

What does it take to be crowned king of the court? Is it practicing when no one is watching? Is it competing in front of coaches and other successful leaders? This past summer, youth from several TCHC communities gathered at York University to show off their basketball skills at the inaugural “Kings of the Court” basketball tournament.   

The tournament featured five teams from TCHC’s West Region communities: 

• Driftwood 
• East Mall 
• Falstaff 
• Lawrence Heights 
• Yorkwoods 

Tega, a participant from East Mall, shared that his teammates have played in basketball tournaments together for several years and have great team chemistry. When asked why he and his teammates decided to join Kings of the Court, he said, “for me, a tournament like this means a lot. When there is an opportunity to get out of the house and play basketball, I will take it.”

A pilot initiative created by TCHC’s Safer Communities, Community Safety Unit, and Active Living teams and its community partners, Kings of the Court brings youth together from different TCHC communities in a friendly game of basketball.

TCHC organizer and Community Services Coordinator Diandra Greaves shared that they wanted the event to create an impact that extends beyond the basketball court.

“We brought in guest speakers and organizations that cover employment, public health and harm reduction,” said Diandra. “We thought about some of the challenges youth in TCHC communities face but may not walk into a resource centre for.”

Some of those challenges include finding work in the city. To help tackle this issue, Youth Outreach Counsellors from the City of Toronto’s Toronto Youth Partnerships and Employment Department attended the tournament to answer questions about employment.

“The youth had questions about navigating the employment world,” said Deboragh Rodolphe, a Youth Outreach Counsellor. “There are a lot of young people here at different stages of their employment journey. Being here allows us to be committed to supporting youth in the community and providing them access to resources, employment and training.”

Sean Charles, who is also a Youth Outreach Counsellor, mentioned the significance of being visible in community events.
“[My team] is very passionate about this work, and it feels good to see the youth engaged and feeling positive. We’re happy just to let them know what’s available to them and get the word out.”

Before the tournament started, the youth heard from former U.S. college basketball player and Assistant General Manager for the Canadian Elite Basketball League, Antwi Atuahene, and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Basketball Assistant Coach, Jeremie Kayeye. Both speakers shared their life experiences and advice that left everyone in the room feeling energized and inspired. 

Antwi, who is a former TCHC tenant, emphasized the importance of achieving success through hard work.

“The youth at this tournament got to see a visual representation of themselves and people who are successful. My advice to the youth is to build great habits on and off the court,” said Antwi. “Some things are just non-negotiable, like your efforts and how much you are willing to sacrifice to become great.”

Coach Jeremie decided to share his story because he has been impacted by community leaders and wanted to share the wisdom he obtained from his mentors.

“Every day, we have three things: opportunity, work ethic, and trust. These three things are interchangeable, but they are earned on an everyday basis. Participants in this tournament have direct access to power of influence and community organizations, and they should capitalize on that,” he said.

After an afternoon of playing basketball and camaraderie, the Falstaff team ultimately took home the championship, earning the name Kings of the Court, much to the excitement of their peers, community leaders, and staff.