U.S. Hispanic Initiative ‘Es tu Cancha’.

NBA en Español, the National Basketball Association’s U.S. Hispanic initiative, and VERB ponte las pilas, the campaign by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focused on promoting physical activity among Latino children aged 9-13, announced the launch of “Es Tu Cancha (It’s Your Court)” — a community outreach program that focuses on refurbishing basketball courts in Hispanic neighborhoods across the country.

The unveiling of the first fully renovated basketball court will take place on Sunday, August 29 at Ingrando Community Park in Houston, Texas, and marks the first in what is a nationwide initiative to provide Latino kids and families with a safe and attractive place to play and be active.

“We understand the value of promoting physical activity in children to improve their health and quality of life. In addition to providing families with a safe playing environment, the program looks to further promote healthy and active lifestyles through basketball,” said Arturo Nunez, Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Latin America/U.S. Hispanic.

The Ingrando Community Park unveiling will feature a variety of inaugural activities including the NBA Houston Rockets’ and WNBA Houston Comets’ inflatable park complete with pop-a-shot, bungee run and dunk-pit activities, among others. In addition to player appearances, the Comet’s dance team will perform live and join local families in “Es tu Cancha (It’s Your Court)” festivities.

“It is an honor for us to contribute to such a great cause in making our hometown a more attractive place for kids and families. We strongly believe in providing our city with safe playing environments and promoting physical activity through basketball — and this NBA initiative does both,” said Houston Comets guard Sheila Lambert.

“The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is increasing rapidly among Hispanic/Latino children in the United States. While 60 minutes of daily physical activity can prevent many health problems like type 2 diabetes and obesity, many Latino neighborhoods lack a safe, accessible and attractive environment to play, making it difficult to get out and get moving,” said, Bill Wood, Director of Communications for the VERB campaign. “We hope that this initiative will not only continue to emphasize the importance of physical activity for our children, but provide a local environment that is that is both safe and fun.”

As part of the “Es Tu Cancha (It’s Your Court)” initiative, NBA en Espanol partners with sponsors like VERB and local NBA teams to select the appropriate neighborhoods, basketball courts and local contractor(s) to refurbish the courts. Once the area and exact location are selected, the project is carried out in two phases beginning with interior and exterior renovations, such as resurfacing and polishing of wood floors, repainting of game lines and logos and backboard repairs/replacements; and concluding with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedicatory celebration. The next court refurbishment is scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida in September.

“I’m happy to partner with the NBA,” said Joe Turner, director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “Their involvement in this project will help kids get excited about physical fitness and gives us a chance to show what great programs and resources we can offer Houston’s kids.”