There is some high quality basketball being played every Friday night at the Wohl Recreation Center.
The Nothing But Nets Night Basketball League was formed to provide a positive service for players between the ages of 18 and 32 on and off the court. The league, which began play in September is being presented through the St. Louis City Recreation Department. The players participate in competitive games and attend valuable life skills sections.
Some of the individuals who are responsible for forming the league are no strangers to area basketball. They include Hall of Fame coaches Preston Thomas, Randy Reed, former standout player and coach Albert Thomas and Noren Kirksey, who has been running basketball leagues for decades.
The games usually begin around 8:30 p.m. and run into the late hours of the night. There are eight teams in the league with 12 players on each team. The regular season games conclude on Friday night with the playoffs set to begin on Saturday night.
In addition to the basketball games, a big part of the league is the life skills portion in which all of the players participate in before they step on to the court. In these sessions, the players meet with professionals and mentors for talks that feature access to health services, employment preparation, educational opportunities and many more services.
Attendance for these sessions is mandatory for all of the players in the league if they want to play in the games. Each team shows up about an hour early before their scheduled game to attend a session in the Wohl’s Center’s Multipurpose Room, then it’s on to the gym for the game.
Admission for all of the games is free.
