Developing Communities
JOOOKOOO aims to help develop communities led by active, empowered youth. Our diverse leadership team understands the cultural challenges our participants face. Through basketball and other sports, we help youth, including Black, Caribbean and Indigenous communities in Durham and the Kawartha Pine Ridge regions—develop skills that support their academic success.
providing Employment
JOOOKOOO employs students and provides programming for athletes, fostering social-emotional and life skills like self-confidence, leadership, and perseverance. Leveraging our coaches, we equip youth with tools and resources for success. We offer opportunities for volunteers to help and give back to the community, supporting their development and future opportunities.
promoting active lifestyle
Our holistic approach links active lifestyles to psychological health through nutritional, physical, and mental health strategies. Recognizing our athletes' economic challenges, we offer employment within our organization and facilitate future job opportunities. This helps reduce financial barriers to higher education, supporting our athletes' overall success and well-being.
developing youth
Discipline, crucial for student-athletes, balances sports and academics through effective time management and focus on responsibilities, preventing burnout. Academic performance is key to long term success. Physical fitness, essential for top athletic performance. Mental resilience helps athletes manage competition and academic stress, maintaining positivity through challenges.
At the end of the day, you're responsible for yourself and your actions and that's all you can control. So rather than be frustrated with what you can't control, try to fix the things you can.
Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise. I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot. These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess. My parents are my backbone. Still are. They're the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.
Meet our strongest team
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Program Leader
Coach Jay
Program Leader
Camp Counsellor
Sofia
Camp Counsellor
Videographer / Photographer
Tatyana
Videographer / Photographer
Camp Counsellor
Josée
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Cayenne
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Amaya
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Imani
Camp Counsellor
Site Leader
Iana
Site Leader
Camp Counsellor
Desha
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Megan
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Isaiah
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Joshua
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Tasnuva
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Jaelin
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Pharaoh
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Kal-El
Camp Counsellor
Site Leader
Lisa
Site Leader
Camp Counsellor
Darius
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Mia
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Isaac
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Tiara
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Telia
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Amir
Camp Counsellor
Camp Counsellor
Kya
Camp Counsellor
Key elements of
a successful student athlete
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The 4 key elements that contribute to the success of a student-athlete encompass both athletic and academic dimensions. Discipline is essential for balancing the demands of both sports and academics. Strong academic performance is crucial, as it reflects a student-athlete’s ability to fulfill the "student" part of their role. Optimal physical health and fitness are vital for peak athletic performance. Mental resilience enables student-athletes to cope with the pressures of competition and academic stress.
Take Charge Of Your Life
Embrace your journey as a student-athlete by setting clear goals, prioritizing your time effectively, and maintaining discipline in every aspect of your life, ensuring you stay on track towards achieving both your academic and athletic ambitions.
Breaking financial barriers…JoooKooo Sports Academy envisions communities led by active and empowered youth. We understand the cultural and socioeconomic challenges our athletes face and work to promote academic success while minimizing financial barriers to education. By providing employment opportunities and helping secure future jobs, we support their growth. We also enhance psychological health through nutritional, physical, and mental health interventions, actively employing students to further our mission.
Moving from Borderline to Greatness…JoooKooo Sports Academy offers summer camps and year-round programs that leverage sports to teach principles essential for academic excellence. Our programs cater to youth facing barriers, allowing them to train and compete effectively. We focus on age-appropriate, inclusive activities that foster physical and academic growth, paying special attention to adolescents we consider “borderline”—those poised for greatness with proper guidance or at risk of falling through systemic cracks. Our core objectives aim to shift participants’ mindsets toward higher education as a pathway to their best selves. All our programming, whether on the court, in the gym, or in the classroom, emphasizes education and life skills like leadership, time management, and public speaking. Additionally, career development sessions, resume workshops, and financial literacy training equip our athletes with skills to secure employment and tackle financial and systemic barriers to higher education.
Focusing on Women and Girls…At JoooKooo Sports Academy, we have an important role to play in ensuring that women and girls are actively engaged in basketball. We strive to create an environment where they can reach their full potential on and off the court and provide their valuable insight and skills through leadership. We believe that it is important to create a space where women and girls are comfortable and supported in pursuing their goals in sport. We strive to promote and demonstrate the value of women through sport. We aim to have representation at all levels of leadership. We conduct annual needs assessments to identify barriers to participation and make the appropriate accommodations to facilitate participation and are working towards removing barriers to access.