What is the Association of Midnight Basketball?

What is The Association of Midnight Basketball?

By working together, businesses, government, and individuals can provide constructive alternatives for the young men at risk of drug, crime, and gang-related activity. The Association of Midnight Basketball keeps young men off the streets, teaches them self-discipline, and gives them an opportunity to make a positive change in their lives.

The Association of Midnight Basketball League Program has proven effective in helping young men develop their self-esteem, obtain the skills, gain the drive to finish school, get their GED, further their education, learn a trade, or find employment. It also gives them the self-respect and inner strength to avoid drugs and resist criminal activity.

We are MORE than just basketball!

Workshops are the key to the Association of Midnight Basketball League Programs.

• Interviewing Techniques
• Employment Opportunities
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Conflict Resolution
• Know The Law, Know Your Rights
• Higher Education
• How To Apply For College Financial Aid
• General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
• Adult Education

Local Social Service Agencies, Community Colleges, and the Health Departments are contacts in some or all of these areas.

WATN: Association of Midnight Basketball League – general action
Credit: Courtesy of Larry Gray

WHY IT WORKS

The Association of Midnight Basketball achieves results because:

• The four hour period (10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.) scheduled for our program occurs when temptations to crime and drug activity are the greatest.
• The front-end commitment of youth and young adults to the program and the discipline/reward system within the program provides participants with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
• A wide variety of workshops and scholarship opportunities available encourage the young adult to reflect on the present life situation and future vocational goals.
• The volunteer efforts of adults, financial and in-hand contributions of businesses make the program work.
• The program provides some par-time and full-time entry-level employment for the participants of the communities in which they live.
• Interaction with prominent law enforcement, businesses and community leaders give the participants respect for the individuals and fosters better mutual understanding.
• The wide variety of workshops and scholarship opportunities available encourages the young adult to reflect on their life situation and establish future goals.
• Basketball is the sport of choice for the target population.
• Basketball is an activity in which both individual talent and group teamwork is necessary to achieve the desired result.
• A draft at the beginning of each season spreads talent over all teams, and insures a maximum degree of competition within each league. No team will participate in-tack. The draft processes of participants from the community in which they live forms the teams.
• The mandatory use of all players in each game and required man-to-man defense insures a high degree of participation and physical activity.
• The high ration of adults to young adults (1:6) and the fact that all coaches are community leaders combine to communicate a sense of concern and commitment to those participating in the program.
• The recreational program for post-high school youth begins at a time of rapid and often difficult transition in one’s education and employment, continues all year and affords young adults an opportunity to learn.

To learn more about the Midnight basketball philosophy, how you can become involved in making a change in a community and operations, Join Us for all of the details.