Youth Transformation and Rehab Centre make basketball return

THE Youth Transformation and Rehabilitation Centre (YTRC) made their long-awaited return to competitive school basketball at the two-day Elevate 3x3 Secondary Schools Basketball Championship, which tipped off at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Tacarigua, on November 14.

Once a dominant force in the East Zone Secondary Schools Basketball League, YTRC captured multiple zonal titles and represented the zone at national championships.

A YTRC statement said that after years away from formal competition, their return marks “a significant step forward in its continued use of sport as a catalyst for youth development and transformation.”

In recent years, YTRC has made notable progress in integrating 3x3 basketball into its rehabilitative framework. Through structured programmes and events such as the R³ 3x3 Inivitational tournament, residents have honed teamwork, discipline, and leadership – qualities that extend well beyond the court and into everyday life.

The Elelvate 3x3 Championship is a national tournament showcasing the country’s top young basketball talent across four divisions: Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 male, and open female.

YTRC will field teams in the Under-20 and female categories, featuring players from the centre’s active basketball programmes.

“Participation in the championship is expected to provide valuable competitive experience and renewed motivation for YTRC’s athletes,” the statement read.

It also underscores the TT Prison Service’s ongoing commitment to rehabilitation through structured sport and education – reinforcing the service's view of sport as a powerful tool for rehabilitation and reintegration