|
|
LeBron James and Nike renovate 5 basketball courts
LeBron James returned to Akron today to dedicate five refurbished basketball courts donated by James and NikeGO. The event will take place at Ed Davis Community Center, where James once worked and practiced the skills that would make him this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year. James will be joined by members of local basketball teams who will participated in a clinic, along with Don Plusquellic, Mayor of Akron; Sylvester Small, Superintendent of Akron Public Schools; Jim Paxson, Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager and Molly White, Director of US Community Affairs for Nike.
“It’s important for me to refurbish the courts I spent so much time on growing up,” said James. “Sports play such an important role in fostering a healthy lifestyle and teaching kids the value of hard work.”
The Ed Davis Community Center is one of four Akron locations benefiting from the court donations, which will be unveiled in a ceremony today. James and NikeGO collaborated to completely resurface and refurbish the court and provide new backboards and baskets. Following the ceremony, a group of local youth basketball players will participate in a basketball clinic led by James and local coaches.
“LeBron continues to show by example his commitment to the community and people of Akron,” said Plusquellic. “He has become a global super star, but the first thing he does following an amazing rookie year, is give back to the community that supported him before all of the international attention.”
Last September, James and NikeGO launched the national PE2GO program in Akron. The PE2GO program, which was implemented to address the issue of dwindling physical education resources in public schools, benefited 23 schools in Akron with teacher training, specialized P.E. curriculum and equipment, as well as the basketball court refurbishments.
“It’s exciting to see the impact that Nike and LeBron has already made with the local Akron youth in such a short time” said White. “With the local PE2GO programs getting kids active, and these beautiful new courts for kids to play on, we’re setting the stage for long-term positive results among the local kids and the community as a whole”.
+ Post comment/question/reply
| |
