While the sports world focuses on the Olympic Games in Paris, France, a notable local sporting competition deserves mention — the 9th National Urban Sports Classic.
Sponsored by The BASE of Boston, one of the only predominantly independent minority groups in New England, this year’s classic will bring together 27 teams from Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Atlanta to compete in basketball and baseball for boys and softball for girls from this Wednesday to Saturday. BASE is an urban academy that uses the power and passion of sports to engage young people and prepare them for success in life. The BASE helps students, through high-quality athletic training and competition, paired with college, career, and wellness programming, to develop the skills needed to achieve their full potential.
A young boy gets batting instruction from a BASE coach. PHOTO: THE BASE
Steph Lewis, president and CEO of The BASE, quickly points out that the classic is about more than just sports. “The classic allows youth from Boston to meet, greet and compete against youth from other cities across America,” says Lewis. Following in the footsteps of his father, Robert, who founded BASE in 2013, Steph, a former teacher at East Boston High School and social worker, knows the value of the work The BASE does and its financial benefactors. “This organization serves youth from 4 to 18 through our sports curriculum, as well as serving persons up to 25 years of age for college career advancement,” he said.
The mission statement for BASE has reflected these ideals since its inception in 2013. Robert Lewis, the founder of the Roxbury-based non-profit, combined his love of sports and philanthropy to create this unique entity “that uses the power and passion of sports to engage youth and provide them with educational and career opportunities.” His son Steph took over as director, president, and CEO of the BASE National Headquarters in 2022 and has continued the work that his father began. Steph knows the value that BASE provides to the Black and minority communities through its daily work.
University of Missouri head baseball coach Kerrick Jackson is a featured speaker at the National Urban Sports
Classic. PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETICS
“Base, with the valued support of financial benefactors, has been able to present unique opportunities to the communities we serve. This has been a vital part of our mission statement. With strong partnerships formed through affiliation with Boston Community Pediatrics, through Dr. Robyn Riseberg, the Boston Red Sox, through Sox President Sam Kennedy, and other philanthropic groups, BASE has grown to include a Chicago branch of operation,” he said.
Lewis added, “Our Chicago operation is due to the relationship we maintained with Theo Epstein when he left the Red Sox to become the head of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs. Theo and his brother Paul, through their foundation, officially named, ‘The Foundation to Be Named Later,’ helped us to bring the BASE concept to Chicago. From there, BASE has spread to several cities across the country, as witnessed by the participation of those attending this year’s National Urban Sports Classic. We have taken teams to Chicago and other cities and have hosted teams in Boston as part of a BASE-bonding partnership, thanks to people like Theo and Paul Epstein. The Red Sox, Atrius Health, who recently presented the organization with a $1 million grant, and other generous benefactors are the reason for our financial success.”
“Still, it is the people who work at BASE daily that deserve so much credit for our organizational success,” said Lewis, a father of two daughters, Bri,14, and Maliah, 3.
“My family is the center of my BASE extended family.”
BASE player is greeted by teammate as he crosses home plate. PHOTO: The BASE
This year’s NUSC event will bring together over 400 student-athletes from six states and more than 25 cities. For the first time, this year’s event will also include a youth conference featuring career-focused presentations and panel discussions, one of which will feature Kerrick Jackson, head baseball coach at the University of Missouri, one of the few Black men in America to run a college baseball program.
“It is a blessing when men of Kerrick Jackson’s status take time from their busy schedule to come and speak with young people,” said Lewis.
He went on to say, “The National Urban Sports Classic not only serves as a platform for young athletes to showcase their skills but also provides access to mentorship along with educational and career opportunities that can shape their futures beyond athletics. As a city with a rich history of sports culture and commitment to youth development, The BASE is proud to host this annual event in Boston to create meaningful connections with young athletes across the country.”
This year’s NUSC event kicks off on Wednesday, July 31, with a meet and greet session at the BASE of Boston headquarters in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where pizza and refreshments will be served. The athletic competition will begin on Thursday, August 1, with Boston College, UMass-Boston, Catholic Memorial High School, and Brimmer and May School. The youth conference and sports panel discussion will take place at Boston University on Friday, August 2, with the closing ceremony to take place at Boston College on Saturday. This event is open to all.
