21 Apr Hooping and Learning: Pittsburg Program Gives Young Men a Safe Place to Play in the ‘Twilight’

Tesoeti Long, right, looks to steal the ball from Steven Quesada as they practice at the Marina Community Center before their first Twilight Hoops game.

Photo Essay, Emily Molina

A wave of basketballs flies across the court as thumping beats play in the background, energizing a group of  young men as they practice their jump shots. It’s roughly 8:30 p.m., and a group of 22 young men and boys are warming up before their first game in the Twilight Hoops program at the Marina Community Center in Pittsburg.

Steven Quesada, a freshman from Mount Diablo High School, dribbles the ball around the court. Near him, Tesoeti Long, a freshman at Pittsburg High School, concentrates on stealing the ball. 

They’re from different schools, yet the energy of sportsmanship gleams on the court, bringing the boys together. 

Tesoeti participated in the first cohort last year and came back because he liked shooting hoops with other guys. 

“It’s easy to make friends here,” he said.

Both boys are enrolled in the Twilight Hoops program, a 10-week series of lifeskills and wellness workshops geared to young men and teens while offering a space to enjoy a game of basketball.

The program runs through May 23 on Fridays from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., a time intentionally chosen to keep young men aged 14-25 out of trouble by bringing them together to play and have fun.

Jerry Johnson, the recreational coordinator for Pittsburg Park and Recreation department, said Twilight Hoops and its sister program, She Got Game, are safe places for young men and women during peak hours of crime. (Both programs cost $100 per person but are free to residents of Pittsburg and Bay Point.)

To keep young people away from destructive behaviors, Johnson says he wants to provide a space and time for them  to engage in healthy community building. 

The weekly workshops, which are presented by local organizations, touch on many cylinders of life, such as fitness, educational resources and financial literacy. The empowering discussions plus a free dinner before practice provide a good environment for young men on a Friday night.    

“Most people who do knucklehead stuff, they got nothing to do,” said Johnson. “With a place where these young folks can shoot hoops, get support with learning about saving accounts, and get a delicious meal, you can’t lose with that.”

She Got Game is the female-oriented version of the Twilight Hoops. It includes a series of workshops focusing on healthy relationships and women’s health, while also providing a meal and a game of basketball. It runs every Sunday afternoon through May 18, and similarly, the young women in the program are ready to learn skills and play ball.

Both of these programs are fairly new to the community. Twilight Hoops is in its second cohort and She Got Game is in its first. 

The Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee funds both programs as the majority of the workshops focus on mental health for youth. 

“It’s our main focus in both programs, and we have noticed that people build community, trust and support through their participation,” Johnson said. 

The game of basketball brings these young people together. Despite different ages, ethnicities, and lived experiences, they are all together playing hoops. 

Steven Quesada participates in Twilight Hoops for the supportive environment from his peers while enhancing his basketball skills.

His mom, Tamara Anderson, likes this program because of the determination she sees in her son when he’s playing sports and the friendships he started building when he first participated. 

“You have the 20-year-olds, who can teach the young ones and you have the young ones who can learn from them,” said Anderson. 

Jaylen Washington, 18, came back to the program because he enjoyed connecting with other people and building friendships throughout the 10-week programming. 

“They’re a great group of people,” he said. “There’s a lot of good vibes here.”