Think about the Basketball Experience as a championship. Unlike a singular game, it takes time—over and above the normal playtime. It takes more than talent. It takes great preparation and put-together teams to achieve success. And as Michael Jordan would aptly put it, “talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
So, what does it take to build basketball courts in Kenya for the Basketball Experience?
The most obvious thing it takes—it goes without saying—is land. A standard NBA court—is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. Translate that into the economics of land in Kenya and that becomes a standard plot of land. By a standard plot here, we are employing euphemism for many the financial expenses and lengthy paperwork involved. Therefore, finding two such standard courts in the same place is akin to walking on thin ice. For this project, the Kenya Academy of Sports provided two courts in Kasarani, Nairobi to be upgraded to NBA standards as the inaugural courts for the Basketball Experience in Kenya.
Secondly, it takes expertise and experience as explained by the site project lead, Eng. Charles Langat. “Most courts as you will notice in Africa, are either a rough surface or a concrete surface. There are a lot of safety issues in place. If you look at the design of the NBA-standard courts, they are very specific. Initially, when we started this project, it was difficult to get those specifics. We have now built the expertise and the experience within Kenya and we can now get high-quality surfaces where players can enjoy good quality sports.” Says he.
How does the weather play in the grand scheme of things given that, the courts are under open air and the project implementation started at the onset of the winter season in Nairobi? “That is a sleepless night scenario. The technology that we use is, water-based. Ideally what you see on the field is green technology. With this kind of technology, you need fair enough sunlight and ambient UV. It gives you good curing. The moment you see clouds gathering, you know that day is lost.” Charles continues to explain.
Lastly, it takes the realization that sports in general, and basketball, in particular, is about community. At the heart of all the plans, the preparations, and the construction, is a fundamental question that must be answered, how does all this interact with community betterment? “This project will improve the quality of the game and the players locally. We now can have all players regardless of their age, use the courts without worrying about their safety. In addition, we are using local expertise, and local materials to build a global standard experience. That is good for the community.” He concludes.
1 Comment
by Samson Mwangi
This is a great initiative. Let’s do more courts in other regions. As the Founder and programs lead in Naivasha Junior Basketball Development Academy, I would like to invite you to our area where kids play good basketball without proper courts and good surfaces.