What Next!

Most of us think Erin Hoops is BASKETBALL.

I did too, once upon a year ago.

A transition has occurred.

Erin Hoops is now more than basketball.

Erin Hoops has been the springboard to a functioning Erin/Hillsbugh Community Youth Program.

Erin Hoops in now bigger than basketball…Erin Hoops is YOUTH, COMMUNITY and basketball.

Today in the old Erin Public School, the gym still rings with kids playing basketball, BUT there is much more happening.

Like…the distinctive ping of ping pong being played

Like…the rattle of soccer ball on the Foosball table

Like…kids playing together making lego pieces into houses and vehicles

Like…kids sitting together talking or playing tag in and out of the rabbit’s warren of rooms around the gym

Like…kids being kids…being creative…doing their thing freely.  Playing from their heads in a way only kids can do (if unregimented).  Jumping from one thing to another.  Having fun – alone and together.

Like…the building is closed (it is no longer a school).  My truck’s out front.  I’m adjusting things inside.  The door opens and in come kids to play.  We’re not open.  Oh, what the heck.  Let them play.  They want to be here.  Awesome.

Erin Hoops used to own basketballs.  That makes sense.

Today sense involves COMMUNITY.

Erin Hoops now owns four ping pong tables, given to us by our community.

Four badminton rackets and birds appeared.  The kids play with them without a net.  Erin Hoops needs the community’s help to have a couple of badminton nets and a volleyball net.

Yesterday a dart board and darts appeared.  Kids will play darts soon.  Safety is an issue, but the kitchen off the gym will become a perfect place.

Tomorrow a drafting table is coming.  A pad of paper is available…but we have yet to get felt pens, crayons and such, but I bet they come from the back of a drawer where they now reside unused.

Community gave us Monopoly.  It’s been played.  Chess and Checkers haven’t.  Neither has Chinese Checkers, Dominos, Backgammon because the Community side of Erin Hoops doesn’t have these yet.  May someone out there have them and all sorts of other games for kids.

Heck, I’m sure you would believe that as of yet your basketball club doesn’t own, decks of cards, arcade games, pool tables, shuffle boards, etc, etc, etc.  BUT it will, and kids will use them.  Ware them out and more will come.

The old school, lacking many things, still rings with kids being kids.  Kids pour in to play much more than basketball.  One can only wonder what it’ll be like when the unfound (as of yet) “treasures” appear to join the dart board, ping pong tables, foosball games and meet the kids of Erin.

Oh!  If you have not come to your kids’ “new” Community Centre, you should.  Bring your kids, and your neighbour’s kid, we currently are open Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, Saturdays (except May 15^th) from 9:30 to 4:00pm, and Sundays from 2 to 4.  Come and let us steal your kids, in fun, for a couple of hours from you.

More is a coming…