Kickback Court – Moss Park
Working with Puma for five years, what began as a yearly tournament now exists as an itinerary focused on impact throughout summer. We intend to create safe spaces and optimal programming through basketball.
This year, we can say our court is our home. Amidst the need for refurbishment, we’ve always seen the court as a safe space for the community. It’s been grounds for laughter, competition, dreams and more.
A safe space to us, wasn’t always so safe though. From balls going onto the road into live traffic, to a lack of space, and dated presentation that made kids feel like their court was uncared for.
We changed the feeling. We changed our community, and we let our kids lead the way. UP has always represented the trajectory basketball can provide, and in real time we made a dream come true. Hundreds of kids happy, safe, and lively.
We made history. In our own community.
This year, we can say our court is our home.
With the help of the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing, this year was monumental for us as we built our first basketball court. With the success of the first, we’re now in the process of building two more over the next two years. What is unique about this relationship, in particular, is its potential. Impact feels special when the city and a brand we believe in can work together to provide wraparound support.
The City of Toronto has supported the design aspect of the refurbishments with comprehensive programming, enabling us to involve the youth in the design process. Toronto Community Housing was integral on the ground with safety and development, and Puma ensured all the kids looked fly with their latest ball kicks. A dream team for real.
Puma Hoops and Kickback started downtown, so it only made sense for our first court to come to life close to home. A dream come true is an understatement of what this court means to us. We now have a home, a place we run programming, lights where kids can play ball at night, and a tangible example of what a group of individuals from a community can do for the same community which raised them. A basketball court with the TKB logo on it was something we aspired to from day one. To see and experience it now still doesn’t feel real. Hopefully, the impact will sink in with all the time we spend there.
