YMCA NSW and Kings partner to develop community basketball

YMCA NSW (the Y NSW) and the Sydney Kings today announced a community partnership to help bring basketball to more young people across NSW. 

The Y NSW will officially partner with the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings for the 2020/21 season to further the Y NSW's mission of inspiring youth to be the best they can be through healthy living and community connection.

The partnership was launched at the Y’s home of basketball, Ryde Community Sports Centre with Kings players Casper Ware, Angus Glover and Dejan Vasiljevic shooting hoops with the Learn To Play 6-12 year old group.

Under the partnership, families can expect to see Kings players mentor and support young basketballers in Y NSW programs including at Ryde and the organisations will collaborate to develop a Kings Community Youth Strategy.

Y NSW Chief Executive, Susannah Le Bron said the partnership would bring basketball back home, to where it all began and notes “Basketball was invented at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield Massachusetts in 1891 by P.E. teacher James Naismith and the Y went on to play a key role in its rapid spread across the world.

“Today at the Y, basketball remains part of our DNA; we’ve run basketball at Ryde since 2013 and welcome more than 80 young people onto the courts every Friday to fall in love with this great sport.

“On the basketball court, young people not only reap the benefits of regular physical exercise but gain confidence, discipline, leadership and teamwork skills, mates for life and a powerful sense of belonging.

“We’re thrilled to work with the Kings to grow lifelong basketball obsessions in more local communities and get young people shooting hoops and life goals together.”

CEO of the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings Chief Executive, Chris Pongrass is looking forward to partnering with the Y this upcoming season and added “The Y has played a key role in fostering community connections with a focus on physical activity in our youth. Their focus on basketball through specific programs such as Streetgym is something that has drawn us to this partnership; it only makes sense to connect our brands to help develop basketball in local communities of Sydney and broader NSW.

“The Kings are looking forward to partnering with the Y and playing our part teaching key basketball and leadership skills to the young athletes – our players and coaches are keen to get involved.”

Y NSW members, staff and program participants will be offered exclusive discounts and some complimentary ticket opportunities throughout the 2020/21 season.

To find out more about basketball at Ryde visit ymcansw.org.au/centres/ryde-community-sports-centre/learn-to-play/

To find out more about Y NSW youth and community programs go to ymcansw.org.au/community-services/youth/