NBN Sports Academy opens new facility in Hockessin

NBN Sports Academy has opened its new facility in Hockessin. NBN purchased the old Hockessin Indoor Tennis Facility and turned it into a basketball and Volleyball training facility with 3 high school courts with shot clocks. The basketball courts can then be converted into 5 volleyball courts. The facility also includes a cafe, classrooms, and training and physical therapy area.  

 

NBN Sports Academy is an independent sports academy that was established in 2017 by Lonnie Wright. NBN has four coed divisions based on age for youths between the ages of 4 and 17. Each team consists of 8-10 children, a coach and an assistant coach. Lonnie and his group also run an AAU group out of NBN called Delaware Ignite which is a nationally ranked  program that competes in grades 6th-12th. 

 

But just like the motto says NBN is “More than Sports”. Their program also provides educational and life skills training. They offer a curriculum that supports the needs of youths and helps them advance to the next level. Their educational and life skills training programs include:

• Conflict resolution
• Interviewing skills
• Self-esteem
• Money management
• Critical thinking
• Credit building
• Resume/job search

Lonnie told us his reason behind starting NBN was “I had four boys who were basketball players and they were not being taught the game the right way. They were playing in programs that just had them come in and run up and down the floor. But more importantly I wanted my boys to be more well rounded. Sports have a way of bringing all types of groups together black, white, green, yellow, rich and poor”.

Since NBN’s inception in 2017 they have nearly quadrupled their size with their purchase of the new facility. The new facility also brings more opportunities and NBN hopes to hold some major tournaments here in our state to showcase the talent our state has to offer. 

 

Lonnie told us when asked why the bigger facility was so important he said “He sees all the professional Delaware athlete’s that don’t come back. Then we see all of the high school kids leaving the state because they think they offer a better opportunity. Now there’s an opportunity for them all they have to do is walk through the door”.

 

NBN also offers adult leagues and tournaments as well as other sports like volleyball and cheerleading. They are also going to offer an NBN podcast, as well multimedia training for those kids who want to be an analyst or a broadcaster. Looks like we may have some future NBN staff members joining us some day. NBN expects the new sports facility to offer many more opportunities in which they see their new facility and growth to continue upward.