BY DAN SAVAGE, OrlandoMagic.com
ORLANDO – On the court, the NBA officially began its offseason on Tuesday with the conclusion of the 2024 NBA Finals taking place one night earlier.
However, off the court and in the community, every day is game day.
That’s the approach for the Orlando Magic, who spent the first official day of the league’s offseason giving back to Central Florida.
On Tuesday, the Magic stopped by the Downtown Orlando YMCA to reveal an upgraded teen room, equipped with new gaming consoles, an NBA Jam Arcade system, artwork, team signed memorabilia, study tables, gaming chairs, video games and board games.
“We’re here unveiling a room that we re-did for the YMCA for children to enjoy – not just for today, but for a very long time,” said Magic Vice President of External Affairs & Philanthropy Maritza Martinez-Guerrero. “It’s a very versatile space and we’re hoping that they’ll get a lot of use out of it.”
If the reaction from the children invited to the unveiling is any indication, the space will get plenty of use. While one group of children huddled around the teen room television to watch episodes of Orlando Magic All Access, another set surrounded the NBA Jam Arcade system and passionately reacted to every make and miss in the game.
“It’s huge (to have the support of the Magic); we couldn’t do this without our partners,” said YMCA of Central Florida District Vice President Kristen Cole. “It’s so great that we’re all in it together for the community and to help those around us. More partnerships need to happen like this.”
It’s well known that the YMCA offers children access to basketball courts and physical fitness. Now, with an upgraded teen room, they’ll give children the chance to improve their games on the virtual hardwood as well.
“We’re so excited to add e-gaming to our teen center space,” Cole explained. “We’re having an e-sports tournament that will start in a couple of weeks. The kids are super excited about it. We will have leagues going on and tournaments. They will compete against other Central Florida YMCA teams, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Youth in attendance were also treated to a Papa Johns pizza party, while they toured the new space. Each child also received a Magic-branded basketball as well to give them a head start in their on-court development.
This marks the second teen room upgraded by the Magic in as many months. In May, the Magic and AdventHealth surprised a local Boys & Girls Club with their own teen room renovation.
“These are long-term investments in spaces that due to their versatile nature will be highly utilized by the youth in this area,” said Martinez-Guerrero. “We’re hoping that they’ll develop healthy habits, build community, and develop a positive attitude all under the auspices of an Orlando Magic experience.”
Off the court, on an annual basis, the Magic give more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, the OMYF, which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more than $29 million to local nonprofit community organizations over the last 34 years.
“Building community and being stewards of our community is part of our molecular makeup,” said Martinez-Guerrero.
