WS Chronicle

Tournaments are one of the best ways to get noticed by coaches along with being a great measuring tool to see how you or your team stacks up against talent from around the nation.  Porsche Jones, director of BOND events, has put together a series of tournaments throughout the year that allows kids of all ages to showcase their talents.

Initially, Jones created BOND in 2008 to teach young ladies basketball skills and to assist them with their efforts to attract attention from colleges.  To help supplement the cost of travel for the ladies, Jones decided to start hosting basketball tournaments.

“We started out small and from the budgets we were able to create from the tournaments, we were able to travel a lot more,” Jones said.  “11 out of the 13 players that were on that team were able to get full rides to college.”

Over the years Jones says they were able to build up a pretty big following from getting teams to come to the tournaments.  Also teams wanted to play her Team BOND squad to see how they would fare.  Now that she no longer has a team, Jones put together a team of people to assist her with the tournaments.

According to Jones, BOND hosts about 32 tournaments per year.  Starting last October, BOND held a tournament twice per month but beginning in early 2018 they hold a tournament every weekend.  Each team is guaranteed at least three games and a champion is crowned in each age group.

The tournaments include boys’ and girls’ teams from the second grade all the way up to the high school level.  Teams from all over the Southeast region of the country come to play in the tournaments.  Over 30 teams attend each week and as many as 60 attend during the peak season.

“I think the biggest thing that allows us growing is that we care,” she said.  “I think some people get into youth sports and think it is about them or how much money they can make.  People who come to BOND like to feel like our family and we treat everyone the same way.”

“We function like a business and we treat people the way we would want to be treated,” she continued.  “The biggest thing I think they like is that they play in nice gyms that are air conditioned.”

The tournaments are played at various locations around the city such as the Gateway YWCA, CP3 Academy and St. Peters World Outreach Center.  Jones wishes there were more places that have multiple courts that will allow her to play more games at one location.

For Jones she says she enjoys holding these tournaments because she wants other young basketball players to have the same opportunities to play on the next level like she did. 

“It makes me feel good that we can give kids that positive outlet,” Jones said.  “We provide a good product, it’s safe and it’s positive for the parents and coaches.  People are always looking for quality tournaments and if they want to reach for the stars playing basketball this is where they can start.”

For more information on the BOND tournaments, visit www.bondskills.com or inquire via email at bondskills@hotmail.com.