where it’s not just about the game
At Center Court, we use basketball as a vehicle for infusing youth with mindfulness to overcome adversity and prepare them for life.
Serving St. Louis, MO and Louisville, KY regions.
We all know that our youth are the future, but many lack the resources and role models to look up to.
Without the resources, our youth can easily fall into a cycle of poverty, violence, and crime.
Center Court is a non-profit organization that uses basketball as a vehicle for infusing mindfulness into the lives of all youth.
Our unique basketball camp program provides a free space for kids to learn how to cope with adversity and prepare themselves for life.
Teach your kids more than just how to play basketball.
Most youth basketball camps focus on teaching the game and little else. As a result, your child may not develop important life skills like communication and teamwork.
Center Court Camps is different.
We believe that basketball can teach kids valuable life lessons that will help them succeed both on and off the court.
Our experienced athletes will help your child grow as a person while they learn the fundamentals of the sport.
Center Court Youth Basketball Camp provides an opportunity for kids to improve their skills on the court and learn about the importance of education and setting goals.
The camp is open to kids from all backgrounds and offers a safe and supportive environment for learning.
Center Court was founded by Keith and Nita Pickens and serves the youth of St. Louis and Louisville regions.
Meet nita
As a local standout, Nita played basketball at the University of Louisville, where her sister also played. In what was meant to be the peak of her athletic career, Nita passed out during a game her junior year from blood clots in her lungs. Devastated, she was told she would never be able to play again.
However, against all odds, Nita was back on the court a month later and was drafted into the WNBA. Despite being cut from the professional team, Nita became a graduate assistant at Drury University in Missouri and later married Missouri State standout, Keith Pickens.
Soon after, she started not only a new journey as a coach’s wife but a mother. Today, the couple have four children and reside in Dallas, Texas. While raising her own family and giving back to her community, she is passionate about sharing life lessons that basketball had taught her and how the game had helped her get through one of the darkest times in her life.
Nita’s story is a reminder that no matter what life throws your way, you can always come back to Center Court and start again. When you feel like you’re down and out, remember that you have the support of your circle to help you keep shooting for the stars.
Meet Keith
Keith, a St. Louis native, overcame many obstacles in his own life. With few role models as a child and a single mom who worked long hours, Keith wasn’t introduced to basketball until he was in eighth grade.
The biggest obstacle Keith faced was lack of accountability. He grew up in an environment where no one pushed him and he could do whatever he wanted without any consequences.
This led to poor academic performance and bad decision-making throughout junior high and high school. But Keith’s entire projectory changed when one coach invited him to try out for an AAU summer team his Junior year.
From that moment forward, Keith put every effort into raising his grades and receiving a college scholarship which he did from Missouri State University when he became the first person in his family to graduate from college.
Not only did Keith have a successful college career, but he’s been a D1 Assistant Coach for the past 7 years. Currently coaching at the University of Texas at Arlington .
Keith’s life was impacted by one role model and he hopes his story and lessons of pushing through adversity will go on to help other youth without a positive figure in their life.
WHERE IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE GAME
© 2022 Center Court Camps | Brand + Site Design by Kristin Korn of CORE Brand Marketing Group