BlackJacks aim to grow basketball in Ottawa through a range of community initiatives

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After Ottawa hosts the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Championship Weekend this August, the winners won’t be just the team that hoists the championship trophy, they’ll include the kids who will benefit from community basketball court refurbishments that the Ottawa BlackJacks are undertaking across the city as part of a tournament legacy program.

“It’s great to have the national television exposure and thousands of fans at TD Place for the Championship Weekend, but it is also our best opportunity to start a legacy program that we can feed into year after year after hosting that allows us to create more opportunities for participation in the sport,” said Michael Cvitkovic, president of the Ottawa BlackJacks.

The BlackJacks are working with the City of Ottawa to identify basketball courts across the city that need to be refurbished, Cvitkovic explained, whether that means resurfacing them, refreshing the nets, painting the lines or performing any other necessary improvements.

“We want to help create community safe spaces where people can be proud of the basketball courts that are in their neighbourhoods, which increases access and greater participation. And then, who knows, those kids might one day play for the University of Ottawa or Carleton or become a member of the BlackJacks.”

Community action is a lesson that Cvitkovic carried with him from his time working for the Toronto Raptors, which were heavily involved in similar local initiatives.

“While we look to have the community support us by coming to a game and cheering on the team — whether that’s buying a ticket or watching on TV or proudly wearing our jersey throughout the city — in order for us to get support from the community, it’s important for us to support the community in return,” he said.

The club has been doing that ever since it joined the league three years ago, including during the pandemic, when it held virtual sports challenges for schools. Other initiatives have included raising funds for the OSEG Foundation to support local sports programs, donating tickets to a range of local charities, scheduling player appearances at community events and even hosting a reading challenge for kids.

“We certainly see a correlation between encouraging reading with active participation in sport,” said Cvitkovic. “As the father of a 15-year-old daughter, I certainly see that when she’s active in sports; it has a great impact on her education and on her thirst for knowledge. She works harder in school because she is active and physically healthy, and that translates into opportunities for greater mental health.”

To learn more about the Ottawa BlackJacks’ community initiatives, or if you’re a local organization interested in partnering with the team, visit theblackjacks.ca.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of the Ottawa BlackJacks.