Basketball comes alive in city

JUMP Academy is reviving the love for basketball not only in Kempton Park but also in other areas in Ekurhuleni.

Seaparo Mohale, the academy’s founding president and chairman, said they assisted and developed basketball clubs like the one in Kempton Park to get more members. The academy partnered with Ekurhuleni Basketball Association and Ekurhuleni Metro to achieve this goal.

With about 3 500 players in the region, the potential for basketball is huge, as this is the second most popular sport in Africa.

Besides the senior men teams, the academy also strengthens the U/18 men’s and women’s teams. The aim is to have enough players to play for Kempton Park against Tembisa and other cities in next year’s league.

The Kempton “head quarters” currently is an outside court next to the cricket club at Barnard Stadium and most of the training for senior men takes place on Sundays.

Mohale said the municipal basketball courts in Birchleigh North, Croydon and Glen Marais would get a facelift to accommodate the increase in teams in the city.

Jump Academy also visits schools to help them to establish teams to play in the league. There are already 40 players, both boys and girls, at Sir Pierre van Ryneveld High School.

The academy’s active kids campaign take basketball to pre-schools. Children from four years are learning the basic skills of this sport.

Jump Academy also introduced the 3 on 3 league where only three players play each other on half of a basketball court. This is fast, exciting and accessible to anyone. Mohale believes 3 on 3 will do for basketball what 20/20 cricket did for cricket.

Go to www.jumpacademy.co.za for more information or phone Mohale at 072-633-8043.