A free basketball league in Kensington is bringing adult men together to foster teamwork and social skills while addressing community violence. Launched in January 2025 by the New Kensington Community Development Corporation and Esperanza Health, the league offers a safe environment for men aged 18 to 40 to participate without registration fees. This initiative comes as part of a broader effort to reduce violence, with recent data showing a 57% decrease in shootings in the area between 2023 and 2024.
Participants engage in practices and games designed to promote communication and resolve conflicts peacefully. Outreach coordinator Tyreek Counts highlights the league’s role in transforming perceptions of local men as “problematic,” aiming instead to demonstrate their capacity for positive collaboration. As the league’s success continues, community leaders express hope for its future funding, emphasizing its importance in offering recreational outlets for those facing economic challenges.
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