Youth find purpose, mentorship in Surrey, B.C., basketball program
Roundball Impact allows young men to play in recreational leagues, as long as they attend leadership workshops
For 19-year-old Om Keely, playing on his recreational basketball team is about more than the sport itself. It has provided structure in his life and given him a sense of purpose, he says.
"Having a goal to work towards is what's helping me stay away from the outside noise and just focus on my own thing," said the teenager.
Keely is part of the Surrey-based Roundball Impact team, which lets young men play in a recreational league at a heavily reduced cost — provided they participate in weekly leadership workshops.
Organizers of Roundball Impact say it helps provide mentorship to young men, especially given concerns around youth losing their support systems as they transition into adulthood.
Keely says the program has been transformational, and taught him the discipline to get out of bed in the morning and get work done.
The team meets two to three times a week. On Sundays, they have leadership meetings with Roundball founder Nathan Money and mentor Shaka Fonderson, where they discuss topics like overcoming adversity and setting goals.
Money, 36, says he did not have the opportunity to play organized basketball where he grew up in Toronto, not having had a lot of money and with no community centres nearby. It can cost hundreds of dollars to play in a men's basketball league.
"I wanted to create that experience for all the kids that grew up the same way as I did, not having that much," said Money, who now lives in Surrey.
"When you grow up in a marginalized community and you lose those supports, you're susceptible to so much stuff."
Money says after graduating high school, young people can be left without a support system, including resources the educational system provides, like guidance and mentorship.
Money and Fonderson helped design a curriculum that guides the leadership discussions.
"These are like the foundational elements to the curriculum — identity, how the world sees identity and how we should view identity as young men growing up."
A brotherhood
The program, going beyond scoring points on the court, is also about helping young men become leaders in their community, Money said.
"It's bigger than basketball. We've created a brotherhood here, we've created accountability, we've created mentorship here — people that care about you beyond if you can hit that three-pointer when it matters," he said.
Fonderson says the team may not win every game, but that's not the point of Roundball Impact.
"The point is growing off the court," Fonderson said. "The wins will come with all these skills coming."
For Darren Nunis, playing with Roundball is his favourite part of the week.
"'Basketball saved my life' is a cliche, but it's real," said the 24-year-old, adding that playing on the team and attending workshops has taught him a lot about himself and helped him work through anxiety.
"I've learned patience, I've learned a lot about life," he said.
Nunis currently works with at-risk youth in Mackie's Place, a Surrey-based non-profit. He says his goal — and the reason he continues to attend Roundball Impact — is to mentor young people who may not fit in at school.
"If you get into basketball or any sport, it helps you stay on the right path," he said.
Players can join Roundball Impact through a referral from their youth or social worker, or by contacting the Roundball league directly.
Community connection needed: psychologist
According to experts, there are many reasons youth turn to gangs, including a desire to fit in or seeking protection after being involved in violence.
Dr. Gira Bhatt, who teaches psychology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and previously headed research projects on youth violence and gangs in Surrey, says initiatives like Roundball Impact could be beneficial in deterring young people from joining gangs, as it keeps them occupied and engaged.
However, she cautions that sport alone will not help young people avoid criminal elements, especially when they are at a stage of life where they are pushing boundaries and experimenting.
She says mentorship should form part of a collaborative strategy to help youth connect with their community.
"The youths need to feel connected — not just with their own family, but the whole community," she said.
"That they're part of the larger community, larger society, that they can make very meaningful contribution to it."
With files from Maurice Katz, Michelle Gomez, Akshay Kulkarni