Community leaders in the Jane and Finch area have created free programming aimed at getting more youth involved in sport. Fees for youth sports can often cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
That creates a huge barrier for kids in low-income neighbourhoods to participate. To help address that issue, several Jane and Finch-based organizations like Asante Soccer Academy (ASA) and Elite Basketball Training, where Chris Blackwood coaches, are covering those costs for families. "I'm not just here with them for an hour and a half or two hours every Wednesday and Friday," Blackwood told CBC Toronto. "I'm here with these guys for life." The high-performance basketball training that kids receive under Blackwood's guidance would normally cost $75 per hour.
The program, held at a venue called Ballers Union Training Centre, runs for two hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, with 20 to 25 kids in each class.
But Blackwood says what his organization is doing is far more important than just flattening fees. He sees it as a chance to get kids engaged and teach them some valuable life lessons.