By Sean Delaney
At Hoop Dreams, it’s more than just basketball—it’s about bringing kids together, building confidence, and community. The charitable program is back for its second year, and has been nothing short of inspiring. With dedicated coaches, incredible sponsors, and a fun environment, Hoop Dreams has become a highlight of the week for many local kids.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Tickner Safety, Cash Money, and Churrasqueira Sao Miguel (Weston and Wilson) for their support. Their sponsorship has been essential in helping us create a fun, supportive space where kids can develop both their basketball and social skills. With their help, Hoop Dreams continues to build a positive environment for youth in our community,” said coach Pierre Evelyn.
Francesco Oppedisano, the program’s founder, said working with children has been a rewarding experience for Hoop Dreams. They’re proud to provide a safe space where kids can develop both basketball and social skills.
“It’s more than just a game—it’s about building confidence, friendships, and life skills that will help them grow on and off the court.”
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from Tickner Safety, the program was able to offer free entry to 20 children in its House League at St. Conrad Catholic School. Cash Money and Churrasqueira São Miguel also came through, providing basketball shirts for all the kids in the 18-week program and allowing even more children to participate for free.
“As a former university basketball player and active supporter of the downtown Toronto basketball community, it’s been amazing to bring that experience to North York through Hoop Dreams,” said coach Tafari Steele. “Seeing kids grow, build friendships, and develop their skills has been truly rewarding. Basketball opened doors for me, and it’s exciting to now create similar opportunities for young athletes in this community.”
One of the female coaches, Andrea, said as a former female university basketball player, seeing the competitive spirit in the co-ed program has been amazing. Creating opportunities for young girls to grow in the game has been truly special and watching them thrive is incredibly rewarding.
Last year, Hoop Dreams participated in St. Simon’s Play Day, where they offered kids a chance to enjoy a fun basketball activity. They’ve been creating spaces for kids not just to play sports, but to bond, build friendships, and find a supportive environment.
If you want to be part of the program, Hoop Dreams runs every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Simon’s Catholic School, and the House League meets every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To learn more, visit: www.hoopdreamstoronto.ca
Follow them on Instagram: @hoopdreamstoronto
A special shoutout to the sponsors who make it all possible. Please support them and help keep this positive initiative thriving in our community.