Coach Keith Pernell is a second year Program Coordinator at the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School (BRCPS) in the heart of Hyde Park. Over the past two years Keith has assembled incredibly successful girls’ basketball leagues, much to the chagrin of the spectating BRCPS boys.
“While I had a discussion about the unequal opportunities for girls and boys to play organized sports they still wanted something to call their own”, said Keith. “I decided to remedy the situation by creating an intramural boys basketball league, separating interested 5th and 6th graders into four teams.”
Nearly four dozen students from 10 different classrooms participated in Keith’s developmental basketball league, which was based off the same principles of Playworks leagues: Play Hard, Have Fun, Respect the game. “I led an opening circle before each game in which we discussed different skills needed to play basketball, no score was kept as teamwork and skill building were the focus.”
The season lasted seven weeks and culminated in a game that pit school staff vs. students. “Not a day goes by without the boys telling me how much fun the league was, and asking me when we can start another season,” said Keith.
Keith is a native of Plainville, CT and attended The University of Connecticut. Upon graduation Keith served two years in AmeriCorps, his first as a youth leadership coordinator with Upward Bound and second as a Playworks program coordinator. His favorite recess game is Capture the Flag.
