Shaping lives while shooting hoops
Ballyjamesduff baskeball court is a safe base for young people
Beside the old Courthouse in Ballyjamesduff, a modest basketball facility has become an important gathering place for the town’s young people. Unlike many other sports facilities across Cavan, which are often locked or accessible only through clubs, the court is open at all times. For the teenagers of this diverse and growing town, that accessibility has made it much more than just a place to shoot hoops.
During afternoon and evening times, teenagers flock to the court to play basketball or laze on the wall in the afternoon sun. On their errands they chose to pass the court, hoping to meet someone – and most of the time they do. The young people feel comfortable hanging around here in their designated space.
For 17-year-old Mark, it’s an anchor in his week: “It’s the only option you really have. I can call in anytime, just ask Con for the code. It’s the only facility in town where you can actually get in, because the pitch is locked.”
He is referring to Con Cullen, Cavan’s co-ordinator of the Bounce Back youth service. Con has been a steady presence for young people in Ballyjamesduff, guiding them with what many describe as a light but committed touch.
Bounce Back is an innovative programme that offers youth cafés, therapeutic support, homework clubs, early school leaver prevention and personal development initiatives - all designed to give young people structure and confidence.
“The basketball court is something where they can go for free, and that’s all they want to do,” Con explains. “Here, they have a bit of purpose and an outlet. If they were sitting on a wall outside, people would be saying, what are they hanging around here for? But what are they supposed to do, where are they supposed to go?”
That question resonates in a town like Ballyjamesduff, with families from different cultural backgrounds and varying economic means. Not everyone can afford club memberships or expensive activities. The basketball court bridges that gap.
Con stresses that young people need spaces that prioritise enjoyment and wellbeing, not just competitive sports. “From a mental health perspective, most people want to enjoy themselves in sport and don’t want the pressure,” he finds.
But Con believes more is needed. He envisions a future where the renovated Percy French Hotel in town could host a dedicated youth space, complete with rooms for table tennis, billiards, workshops, music, and a café. “Hopefully, in a few years we’ll get a space in the hotel they are doing up. We can build a perfect big space for them just to drop in and grab a coffee, grab a drink or whatever,” he says.
They are making do with a crammed office at the moment. But the youth deserve more. “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” warns Con who simply wants to give all kids an equal chance in life.
Through work experience with Bounce Back, teenagers like Mark gain important life skills. Taking part in the programme, he discovered he was good at organising events and working with younger children.
“It was pretty helpful for myself anyway,” says Mark, having gained confidence in his abilities. After graduating next year, he hopes to study law. Until then, he will be seen shooting hoops, and the breeze with his friends in the sunset of Ballyjamesduff Basketball Court.