Buena Vista
United Methodist Church
Youth Basketball
The BVUMC Youth Basketball program provides youth entering kindergarten through high school with the opportunity to play basketball in a safe, well-organized environment.
The volunteer-run program emphasizes the values of teamwork, cultural awareness, and community service. While its origins are Asian American and Christian, the program is open to youth and families of all ethnicities, religions, and basketball skill levels.
Since its founding 35 years ago, our program has emphasized basketball as a means to greater ends: of building self-esteem, confidence, relationships, and personal growth in the context of a spiritual community.
From Incarceration to Inclusion: The Legacy of Japanese American Basketball
Buena Vista Basketball also traces its roots back to Japanese American history where segregated sports leagues preceded World War II. Sports were a source of sustenance in the camps. Still reeling from incarceration and post-war prejudice after World War II, community leaders in California formed JA basketball leagues for youth to participate in and maintain cultural bonds when mainstream leagues were not accessible. These leagues have a rich history, with thousands of players finding their identity and community through league games and tournaments. As time has gone on, various leagues and programs have evolved, especially around requirements for who can participate. Buena Vista was a co-founder of the Asian Community Basketball Association (ACBA), which recognized the pan-Asian community but had no requirements around ethnic backgrounds and was open to all. Though ACBA is no longer active, Buena Vista has been fortunate to compete in the East Bay Youth Athletic League (EBYAL) and East Bay Girls Athletic League (EBGAL). Though EBYAL still requires that teams have a certain number of players with Japanese heritage, Buena Vista does not ask for such information from its players, and thus maintains affiliate status.
More Than Basketball: Building Community Through Service
To build community and connection, we require a modest amount of volunteer hours from every family. Thanks to the sponsorship of BVUMC, we are able to keep our registration fees low compared to other youth sports programs. In return, basketball families are asked to work a single 2-3 hour shift during the church’s main fundraising event of the year, the aforementioned Spring Festival Bazaar on the first Sunday in May. We also need volunteers for managers, coaches, timekeepers, scorekeepers, and anything else that helps the teams function and build camaraderie. Families that do not meet minimum volunteer commitments will not receive returning player status in future registrations if team space is limited.
