The Newberry County Coalition on Underage Drinking is hosting a free Law Enforcement and Youth Basketball Tournament for girls and boys ages 14-18 at the Eleazer Arena at Newberry College on May 20. Community members are highly encouraged to come out and fill the stands with adoring fans.
Heart racing. Adrenaline coursing through his veins. His eyes find the clock. Five seconds left. This is it, no time to hesitate. His eyes find the net, his feet leave the floor and the ball leaves his fingertips. The sound of the buzzer floods his ears and so does the much anticipated sound of the ball falling through the net. The crowd erupts and in that moment a spark turned into a flame. He knew what he wanted to do with his life. He knew that he was destined for greatness.
March Madness. Two words that sparks excitement and delight for many people. However, for the Newberry County Coalition on Underage Drinking, those two words are taking on much more than that this year. Basketball fans and non-fans alike are getting excited about something big that is coming to Newberry County. Flyers are being hung around the county and you may start taking a little bit more notice next time you see one.
We’ve heard of “Baby boomers,” “Generation X” and “Millennials” but what about “Generation Z”? This term refers to kids born in the mid to late 1990s to early 2000s. This is the first generation to have the internet so accessible at such a young age which is why they are also known as the iGeneration.
In a 2015 study titled “Generation Z: Technology and Social Interest,” Anthony Turner stated, “Generation Z has formed such a bond to their digital connections that they feel emotionally attached … that they would be upset about having to give up an internet connection … Offline activities, such as going to the movies, attending a sports event, or going out to eat, ranked significantly lower in comparison.”
With all of this technological connection, sometimes it is hard to connect on a personal level with this generation. How can we bridge this generational gap?
In the field of substance abuse prevention, there is a saying that is at the core of prevention efforts: “Nothing for them, without them.”
What this means is that whatever your effort is, whether it is reaching youth and reducing substance use, or reaching parents and targeting relationships, you cannot successfully change anything unless the “targeted audience” is on board with the idea.
For the Newberry Count Coalition on Underage Drinking, this concept was put into action after a simple conversation with some local teens.
A focus group with some teens from DJJ led to the formation of the Law Enforcement and Youth Basketball Tournament. Tom Perry, former Coalition Coordinator, listened to these young people express the desire for activities that they could do in Newberry to stay out of trouble.
After talking about their love of basketball and their opinions about the developing negative attitude towards law enforcement, the idea of a basketball game that involves both parties emerged. The excitement that was born in that focus group has been the driving force for the Coalition in making the Law Enforcement/Youth Basketball tournament a reality.
After gaining the enthusiastic support from local law enforcement and involvement from various local divisions the basketball game has finally become a reality.
What started out as a small, informal get together of local youth and law enforcement has turned into a community-wide event that is specifically designed to show support, encouragement and opportunities for the rising generation of our county. The future of Newberry County lies in this next generation.
This event gives our community members a chance to rally around our youth and show them that our county is invested in them. Youth can sign up at the YMCA, City of Newberry Recreation Department or online at https://newberry-basketball-tournament.eventbrite.com.
Registration for this event is open until March 31. There will be free event T-shirts for the first 100 participants to sign up. For more information, contact Heather Williams at 803-276-5690 or hwilliams@westviewbehavioral.org