May 2008Local Basketball Court Gets a FaceliftBy Kristin A. SmithThe basketball court outside the Omega Boys Club at 1060 Tennessee Street consisted of an unused corner of the parking lot. The asphalt was cracked and the surface was sandy. A single hoop hung limply off the splintered remains of a backboard. But all that changed last month when Golden State Warriors guard/forward Stephen Jackson unveiled a new, state-of-the-art court for the youth center. The court now features a two-toned green surface, all new backboards, hoops and poles, and surrounding fence. The renovations were funded by Jackson and the Good Tidings Foundation, a group that has teamed up with the Warriors to provide new courts for local youth. The Omega refurbishment is the 30th court to be transformed by the foundation. Jackson has a long-standing relationship with the Omega Boys Club, a group that focuses on youth leadership and non-violence education. Among the many services that Omega offers is a syndicated radio program called “Street Soldiers” that addresses issues like gangs, violence and drug abuse; Jackson regularly contributes to the conversations as a call-in guest. “He’s really community minded,” says Jack Soares, Omega’s Director of Marketing and Development. Last month Mayor Gavin Newsom declared Saturday, April 12th to be Steven Jackson day. Newsom acknowledged Jackson for his role as “a community ambassador dedicated to empowering youth and encouraging them to be educated, responsible, and reach their highest potential.” The court is open to the public. Soares hopes it will help continue to foster the sense of community that both Jackson and the Omega Boys Club have worked to create.
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