Basketball got it’s start at the YMCA, and so can your child!
The NBA season is officially here again - and it’s all thanks to the YMCA! Few people realize that without the Y, basketball wouldn't exist. America’s second favorite sport has come a long way since its invention in 1891 at a Y center in Springfield, Missouri, but the Y's contributions to the sport didn't stop there…
Current NBA player and MVP, Kevin Durant, has been spotted playing pickup basketball at the YMCA after NBA games.
Former NBA players, Chris Laettner and Cliff Robinson, grew up playing in the same basketball league. Laettner had one of the most impressive careers in collegiate sports history with the Duke Blue Devils, and went on to play in the NBA for 13 seasons. Robinson also had a successful career, playing in the NBA for a total of 18 seasons. Wilt Chamberlain, famous for his time in both the NBA and with the Harlem Globetrotters, grew up playing basketball at the Y, too. Even a former U.S. president, George H. W. Bush, grew up playing in Y basketball leagues.
Basketball at the Y is unique in that each child receives individual attention and coaching, and your child is guaranteed to play at least half of the game, giving equal play time to each child on the team. Our basketball leagues also encourage volunteering and engagement from parents, siblings, grandparents, and all of those involved in your child’s life. Plus, who better to develop and strengthen your child’s basketball skills than the very organization that invented the game? Everybody starts somewhere - give your child their start at the YMCA and watch them unleash their potential.