The Valley Basketball Court is on track to reopen in time for a summer youth camp this July, according to non-profit organisation Valley South United.
After signing a 20-year lease agreement with the family of the late Ashley Brooks Senior at the end of June, members have been working hard to get the disused court back to its former glory.
The first phase of refurbishment work includes resurfacing the court, repairing hoops and repainting boundary lines, according to a press release on 15 July.
The recently formed community club’s aim with its debut project is to provide a safe and welcoming space for local youngsters to engage in sports and community activities.
Cordell Richardson, Anguilla House of Assembly representative for Valley South, said: “We wanted to ensure our young people had a high-quality space to play, grow and shine.
“This court is more than just a place for basketball – it’s a hub for positive engagement and a symbol of what we can accomplish when we work together.”
Richardson said the timing of the court’s reopening “couldn’t be better”, with the Juwan Howard Youth Basketball Camp set to take place from 25 to 29 July.
The training camp will showcase local talent and benefit from the experience of Juwan Howard who has participated at the highest level of basketball.
Howard played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he was an NBA All-Star, and two-time NBA champion with Miami Heat.
When he retired he became head coach of his alma mater University of Michigan and was named the National Coach of the Year in 2021. He is now an assistant coach with the NBA Brooklyn Nets.
Also running the camp will be Armand Massogo who is a top NBA skills trainer and was able to garner the twins Cody and Caleb Martin NBA contracts in excess of US$67 million combined.
Anguilla’s Cuthbert Jackson, who has been dedicated to the advancement of basketball locally, will be assisting. He has been a coach for the Valley Primary School for over a decade.
Corwin Carty, vice president of Valley South United, said: “Our youth deserve the best and we are happy to provide them with an opportunity to benefit from coaches and trainers at the highest level of basketball.”
He said the restoration of Anguilla’s oldest court has been a long time coming, adding: “So we are extremely happy to host this first annual camp there.”
Young people aged seven to 18 are encouraged to sign up for the camp taking place from 9am to 1pm each day in the newly restored space.
Those wishing to register can contact Kiara Mills-Rey on (264) 235-2277 or valleysouthunited@gmail com
