A Pee Wee Basketball League Builds Skills for Cortez’s Youngest Players

Basketball doesn’t begin until third grade for Cortez children, leaving younger kids without access to this organized team sport during a critical developmental period. One local parent and basketball coach noticed this gap, so she came up with the idea to create a program for 4- to 8-year-olds that would simultaneously support local high school teams. LOR’s funding helped the coach purchase appropriately sized basketballs, jerseys, and scoring equipment to launch a summer pee-wee basketball league, where more than 40 young children are learning fundamental skills under the guidance of high school basketball players. The program has not only helped Cortez’s budding basketball players develop skills and teamwork but also created leadership opportunities for teen athletes, a win-win.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Onward! A Legacy Foundation.