ATHOL — On Sunday afternoon, three teams with five players each took to Fish Park in Athol with one thing in common. While some were former foster children, some varsity athletes, some even college students, they all face hardships.
For many, hardship means the inability to purchase the newest iPhone, dealing with a recent breakup or maybe having to deal with the costs of a car repair. For those that participated in the first annual King of the Court competition hosted by Efrain Cordova and Kristine Gordon-Johnson, hardship goes beyond that.
Cordova felt there aren’t enough positive opportunities for the people of this area over the age of 18, especially when it comes to sports. He said many people work in factories, go home and usually play video games because there are not many positive options. He said community members often turn to drugs and get involved with crime because of that. Cordova, with the help of Gordon-Johnson, a therapist at Clinical and Support Options in Athol, created the King of the Court tournament to help give back to those that need more positive opportunities.
“For the community, age 18 to 20, even 40, there’s nothing really out here but get in trouble, so I was trying to give something for the people to do something,” said Cordova. “I wanted to give back something positive instead of destructive, try to do something positive in the community.”
Cordova hosted the tournament with three teams of five. Teams played until one reached 50 points. The winning team stayed on the court while the losing team switched out. They did this multiple times, hosting several games. Gordon-Johnson created jerseys for players. One team received blue jersey’s while another had maroon and the third, gray. Each player had a number and each jersey had a logo of a basketball and crown on the front of the jersey. Gordon-Johnson worked with the city to reserve the court for the day.
Several took to Fish Hill Park today for the first annual King of the Court Tournament. This was a free tournament for those facing financial trouble or other personal troubles, hosted by Efrain Cordova, a former foster child of Athol pic.twitter.com/jXUhRiOhZ5
— ADN Sports (@ADN_Sports_Sect) August 5, 2018
“I think it’s a good thing, bringing the whole community together, especially for people that can’t play anywhere else” said Xavier Godette of Orange. Godette played on the Mahar Regional High School varsity basketball team and attends Mount Wachusett Community College. “The fact that (Efrain) got refs, it’s just an amazing thing to do, to bring everyone out here.”
A popular way, if not the only way, adults can play competitive basketball in Athol is the Athol area YMCA through its men’s 5 on 5 basketball league. Godette has played in this league. Joining the Y costs $44 per month or $498, according to its 2017-18 program brochure. According to that brochure, it costs $300 to join the men’s 5-on-5 basketball league or $35 per player. While both are relatively cheap, fun and while the Y offers financial aid for members under financial hardship, Godette and Cordova both expressed that man community members still cannot afford its costs. It leaves those members without an avenue to play organized sports.
“(Playing sports) is expensive,” Godette said. “So to play at a public park and for Efrain to basically gather all the fundraising and whoever else pitched in, it’s amazing.”
The event was free for any community member to join. The only money used in creating the event was money Gordon-Johnson raised from community sponsors and personal money she used to create jerseys for participants.
Cordova moved back and forth between Springfield and Athol as a child, moving to Athol last when he was 16. Cordova has always enjoyed the game but noticed there’s no outlet to play organized basketball outside of high school sports, travel or AAU basketball. After seeing Gordon-Johnson as a counselor, she encouraged him to start the tournament. She encouraged him to use his interest in basketball to create something positive for community members that could not otherwise afford to play organized sports.
“I always wanted to get something started,” said Cordova. “It’s something small, but hopefully the word gets out and more people show up because I’m trying to make it an annual thing.”
The recruitment of players happened through Facebook. The majority of participants live in Athol, but Gordon-Johnson expressed that some had come from Greenfield, while a few even came from the Boston area. Gordon-Johnson expressed that she wants the event to expand to include live music.