Clay Baker, the activities director for Orange County’s Parks and Recreation Department, was born and raised in Orlando and grew up without access to the sparkling community gyms now dotted throughout metro Orlando.
He sees the more than 7,500 kids in Orange County alone enrolled in the Junior Magic basketball leagues and marvels at the difference that the program and the community gyms are making in the community.
“I was born in Orlando and grew up playing Pop Warner and Little League and I’ve been here in parks and rec for 16 years and we never had anything like this before,’’ Baker said. “We’re just so happy with our gyms because they have been such a great addition to the community. If it weren’t for the commissioners and the Magic working together, we wouldn’t have had these gyms. Me being a native Orlandoan, just to see this community grow the way it has is amazing. Getting these gyms has been so big for our communities.’’
Through a joint initiative three years ago, the Orlando Magic worked with the Orange County Commission to donate and build the five community gymnasiums throughout metro Orlando, while Orange County operates and maintains the centers. Orange County funded a sixth gymnasium, allowing the community to have state-of-the-art facilities at Barnett Park, Goldenrod, Meadow Woods, Silver Star, South Econ and West Orange.
The construction of the teeming, new facilities has allowed the Orange County Parks and Rec Department to greatly expand the Junior Magic programs to its current levels. Prior to construction, OCPR had to lease church and school gymnasiums and was able to offer just one three-month season for aspiring basketball players.
Now, with the six new facilities, Junior Magic programs offer 10-week seasons during the fall (October and November), the winter/spring (January, February and March) and a summer session (June, July and August).
There are 430 players enrolled in each of the three seasons, meaning roughly 1,290 slots are filled in each of the gymnasiums during one year of the Junior Magic program. And when that’s factored over the six community gyms it means that 7,740 opportunities are given to youth players in the Junior Magic Leagues.
The Junior Magic program is the Orange County Parks and Rec’s largest partner by far and the Junior Magic league is celebrating its 10th year in existence. Costs are tiered and kept low so that they can be available to a high number of kids. For example, kids can enroll in a 10-week session, receive a jersey and a ticket to a Magic game for just $40. The prices drop to $35 for students on the reduced lunch program, $30 for those on the free lunch program and $20 for those on government assistance.
How popular have the leagues become at the state-of-the-art facilities? Rosters usually fill up in as short as two days and parents have been known to line up outside of the facility to ensure that their kids have spots on the teams.
“Some of these gyms were opened up in areas that were deficient of recreational facilities, so now we have waiting lists that are 30 deep in each age group,’’ Baker said. “It’s obviously getting the kids involved in each age group and it’s giving them areas to go and have fun and get involved.
“I just don’t see a better deal out there. I couldn’t do this program any cheaper for the kids,’’ Baker continued. “To get a nice quality jersey, posters, a ticket to a Magic game and the 10-week league is a good deal. I just wish we had more space because it’s packed and we have to tell people that it’s first come, first serve.’’
The Junior Magic programs have produced several NBA players through the years. Also, current NFL players Chris Johnson (Titans) and Mike Williams (Seahawks) competed in the Junior Magic basketball leagues.
Orange County’s community gyms are open to people of all ages and are similarly low-priced with adult athletic memberships starting at $100 a year. But it’s with the children where the community gymnasiums are having the biggest impact with programs such as the Junior Magic Leagues, after-school events and arcade games to give children safe playing environments.
Baker said the Magic deserve a lot of credit for building the community gyms and reinvesting in the Central Florida community. He said the Magic’s 10-year commitment to the Junior Magic league shows that they are serious about making the community a better place to live.
“Our family has always been season-ticket holders since the beginning and the Magic have always been a community-based organization,’’ Baker said. “Whoever I have worked with at the Magic has reached their hand out and offered to do whatever they could to help our programs. They not only help us with the Junior Magic, but they do clinics with the coaching staff and other stuff. When they come out, the kids feel very proud to wear that Junior Magic uniform.’’
By John Denton
