Written By: Liam Blutman
As you know, 2020 has been such a bizarre year. It’s been something you’d think could only be dreamt up in a nightmare. Stores closed, events shut down, social gatherings put to a halt. The pandemic took over this world and left us all shocked by this terror as we didn’t know what to do. Sports consume so much of our lives and we suddenly lost those moments for months and here we are, we still don’t even have professional sports back. Recently, the Las Vegas Basketball Center opened its doors and is currently hosting AAU Tournaments as well as court rentals for training, games, and workouts that resemble events such as Big Foot Hoops, every single week. I had the opportunity to attend a tournament and see how basketball was being operated here at the Las Vegas Basketball Center amidst a pandemic.
It feels crazy to see sports return. It’s been so strange living without sports in our lives, especially in mine. Now that sports slowly returns the atmosphere surrounding the events is so very different. When entering the Las Vegas Basketball Center, each attendee is met by a thermometer to take their temperature. If the attendee is not wearing a mask they are asked to exit the premises immediately. They aren’t messing around here and spectators are advised to distance themselves, coaches are wearing masks and yelling motivation to his or her team through the mask. Multiple referees can be seen wearing face shields to protect themselves, but don’t worry, we can still hear that shrill whistle through the shield. After each game concludes, players and spectators are instructed to leave right away, no handshake lines, just get up on out of there after finishing your game. There’s a 15-30 minute period after each game that is dedicated to cleaning. Bleachers get cleansed and disinfected, the court is wiped down and every basketball is cleaned thoroughly. Hand Sanitizer and other cleaning products are set up all around the large five court facility to allow easy access for peoples sanitation. At the Las Vegas Basketball Center, they are truly showing the necessary precautionary measures to keep everybody safe and healthy. Here’s what Ben Cordova who was watching his son play had to say, “I feel great, I was relieved to see the Las Vegas Basketball Center was prepared and dedicated to keeping us all healthy.” I also asked a player the same question, Adonis who is entering high school stated, “To play during a pandemic is something that I never thought would happen. It was crazy walking into the gym and seeing them have to take your temperature before you can enter. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the game because when we were in quarantine I had to find other ways to work on my game.” Erin Thorn of Erin Thorn Elite exclaimed that, “Youth sports has changed and may never be the same. The Las Vegas Basketball Center is doing an amazing job of providing as safe of an environment as possible during these hard times. The temperature checks entering the gym, time gaps between games allow for a thorough cleaning, limiting of spectators ensures social distancing is possible, and the care taken to provide a clean environment throughout allows us to just worry about our teams. As a basketball community, we have a responsibility to these kids, to provide them with the life skills they can learn through sports, all while keeping them as safe as possible from the pandemic!”
Sure, it’s weird. It’s really weird. Basketball is being played amidst a global pandemic, but life must go on, we can’t just sit around and wait for this all to go away. At some point, we all have to get back outside and get back at it. At the LVBC they are showing things can in fact be done and people can in fact stay healthy, all you need to do is be aware, wear a mask, and distance yourselves. It’s not that hard. Jerome Williams stated, “I’m so glad to see families be able to stay within safe guidelines during COVID-19 and be participating in basketball in the summer whether it’s as a player or spectator.”
Sports heal, they take your mind off all the bad events happening. Well, here at the Las Vegas Basketball Center, the only thing on people’s minds is basketball. This is an escape for families, great and competitive basketball games being played and taking focus away from the reality of the real world. Even if only temporary. These are truly difficult times.
The games at the Las Vegas Basketball Center may not continue amidst the pandemic, so we were happy to have this weekend of fun and training!
Oh and #BlackLivesMatter
