b-ball on the block (ages 8-19)
Beyond the Ball has partnered with Ceasefire, Enlace Chicago, La Villita Community Church, and YMCA Street Intervention to produce B-Ball on the Block every summer since 2006. B-Ball on the Block is a program designed to bring people out of their homes and into the streets to enjoy food and healthy activities together. Each week of the summer, a different block in Little Village or North Lawndale is closed off to make way for grills, arts & crafts tables, two basketball courts, a dee-jay, and many other activities.
B-Ball on the Block exists to help people cross boundaries. Adults and kids; blacks, whites, and Latinos; members of rival gang territories--each can come out and see how much they actually have in common. Creating a common trust and eliminating fear of the unknown has been a great product of B-Ball on the Block. B-Ball on the Block is sponsored by Aetna and LISC/Chicago.
b-ball on the block basketball
Beyond the Ball coordinates the basketball portion of B-ball on the Block. We organize the teams, distribute jerseys, and provide referees for the summer-long league and final tournament. B-ball on the Block also allows an opportunity for youth involved in beyond the ball to expand their abilities. Many of our older participants help coach younger teams, referee games, and keep score.
Aside from the local tournament in Little Village and North Lawndale, Beyond the Ball coordinates the Citywide Finals. Programs similar to B-Ball on the block hold tournaments in neighborhoods scattered throughout Chicago, and a Citywide Champion is crowned when those local champions collide at the end of the summer. Check out the video from the 2009 Citywide Championship below. The championship was also chronicled on LISC/Chicago's Neighborhood Sports Chicago website.
Hoops in the Hood Citywide Finals 2009 from Brent Michel on Vimeo.