By Dave Leggett, Senior Program Development Director, Southeast YMCA

The YMCA has a rich history of commitment to develop innovative programs that help families lead healthy lives, improve personal and family relationships, become better leaders, strengthen positive values, and develop specific skills, while at the same time building a sense of community; all things that the sport of basketball has encompassed since its’ beginning. It has been more than one-hundred and twenty years since basketball was first invented at the Y, and the fascination still continues today.

In 1891, a Canadian American physical education instructor, James Naismith, invented a game that would change the world of sports at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Armed with a soccer ball and two peach baskets, James Naismith pushed his students beyond the average strength class to introduce a game of skill that could be played indoors during the winter months.

Basketball has certainly changed throughout the years in regards to number of players, rules, court, ball, backboards, and hoop used. At first, the game was played with nine players on each team. By 1897-1898, teams of five became standard and quickly spread nationwide and to other parts of the world.

Today basketball is second only to soccer as the most popular sport in the world. And now when you come to the Y, it is a rare moment when you do not see at least one person shooting hoops on our basketball courts.
Basketball offers many great benefits, including when it comes to your health. It can help you:

• Burn calories (an hour of basketball can burn 630-750 calories)
• Build endurance
• Improve balance and coordination
• Develop concentration and self discipline
• Build muscle

So if you are looking to shake up your workout routine, grab some of your friends, family members and coworkers and come to the Y for a pickup game of basketball. If you are looking for a more structured approach, you can sign up for our winter basketball leagues which start early January. Here’s a link!

I can only imagine the future evolvement of this sport in years to come, and look forward to seeing new generations discover the love, passion and drive for basketball through the Y’s youth or adult basketball leagues and pickup games.