Bball in The BX (Co-Op City)

Mar 11

QBA - Quad Basketball Association Tournament

-The story behind the images:

Basketball has always held a special place in my life. I picked up the game in middle school and immediately fell in love. In 2013 after years of consistent, vigorous runs, I tore my achilles. After surgery I started the long journey of recovery. Although difficult, I eventually bounced back physically. That setback drove me to explore other fitness modalities and incorporate some into my mix. Also, being sidelined forced me to reevaluate my goals. High flying and rim rocking were no longer parts of the ultimate goal. I now engage in lower impact pursuits with a focus on maintaining my body for the long game.

I miss playing bball as competitively as I did in my younger years, especially because the sport has so much to offer. Every time you step on a court, you are confronted with numerous scenarios that test your mental fitness as much as your physical. I’ve recently begun to play again. Slower paced, very intentional practice. Headphones in. Podcast or music on. Jump shots, dribble drills, free throws. It’s repetitive, it’s meditative. It’s like coming back home.

Now, on to the QBA tourney in the Boogie Down.

Experiencing the positive energy of the day brought back a lot of memories of when my friends and I would run the courts for hours on end. My wife’s college homie Mike(@the_mr_garcia) has created an incredible annual community tournament in Co-Op City (@qba_basketball). Mike extended an invite for this Brooklynite to make the trek north. I was grateful to be able to capture images of the players, staff, and community members who showed up to support the event. Even though the rain came and slowed things down, the tournament was a huge success! Mike, a.k.a the Commish, keep shining and touching lives brother!!

Huge thank you to everyone who allowed me to capture their image. This is what we got. Dope shots.

-📸 = @mj3eyes

-Location: Co-CIty, Bronx, NY