beyond the ball
Beyond the Ball empowers urban youth to transform their community, not escape it.
We've been in existence since 2000. Programming is very intentional about going beyond just giving youth something to do. Sports leagues and clinics grow youth into leaders. Classes, experience trips and mentoring give students practical skills and ideas for success in life.
Beyond the Ball can point to many of our alumni as proof of our success. Several of the youth involved since Beyond the Ball's inception are now attending or have graduated college. Some have returned to the West Side and found employment, bringing stability to the community . This past summer, fourteen alums volunteered to come back and help run programs for the next generation of youth.
project play
Our latest initiative to is called Project Play, and the goal is to claim underutilized space in Little Village by providing recreational activities for kids and their parents. Every Tuesday last summer, hundreds of people gathered at 31st and Lawndale to play basketball, badminton, kickball, and wiffleball. Ropes were jumped, hula hoops revolved and faces were painted. Individuals and families forged a stronger community through shared activity.
The idea for Project Play came from our Bitty Ball picnics, the first of which drew over 1,000 residents who enjoyed a day of food and fun. The open field at 31st and Lawndale provides the perfect place for Project Play. It has long been a hot area for gang conflicts, but Project play will be a part of reclaiming the space for healthy, family use.
Check out the video below to see what Project Play looks like.