Freedom Hoops: Shaping Kansas City's Youth Through Basketball

In front of more than 300 people packed around the Hyvee Arena in Kansas City, teenager Joziah Adkins grabbed the microphone and shared the news: he’d earned a full-ride scholarship to Avila University, where he plans to study business. 

This is a monumental accomplishment; however, he didn’t get there alone. Joziah graduated from Freedom Hoops, the coaching and mentorship that shaped him into the young man who walked away with that scholarship.

Every Court. Hope Found. Lives Changed.

Freedom Hoops is a non-profit in Kansas City using the game of basketball to reach young men with quality training and true mentorship. Since 2014, the organization has given inner-city youth a safe, supportive environment to play and grow, but the training is only half of what happens on those courts.

The other half is discipleship. Freedom Hoops provides each young man with a trusted adult mentor who walks alongside them and strengthens their walk with Christ. It’s a model built around a long view, one mentor, and one relationship at a time. Founder Michael Loney and his team believe that disciples who make disciples multiply, and they’re actively working to see that occur on every court across Kansas City.

Nearly 100 young men have graduated from the program since its inception. Michael and his team are hoping to substantially increase this number in the next decade. 

Driven by the belief that discipleship creates a ripple effect, Freedom Hoops works to bring hope to courts across Kansas City. Their mission is captured in a few simple words: Every Court. Hope Found. Lives Changed. Joziah is one of many young men whose lives have been transformed through the program, with new success stories taking shape every year.

A Tournament to Remember

Joziah’s announcement came at Freedom Hoops' annual 3v3 tournament, where community members and businesses across Kansas City come together to compete, with all the money raised going to support Freedom Hoops to support their program. This year marked a first for the tournament: alongside the men's bracket that's been there since the beginning, organizers added a women's bracket for the first time. In total, the tournament comprised 49 teams and raised $116,000, which directly funds Freedom Hoops’ mission. This is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and it exceeded expectations. 

RESTO Athletic was proud to serve as a jersey sponsor for the tournament, donating over 300 single-ply reversible basketball jerseys for the competing teams.

When asked what stood out about working with RESTO, Michael Loney highlighted three main points:

• Complete Customization: Full flexibility to print any design anywhere on the jersey.

• Fast, Reliable Service: Excellent customer service paired with quick turnaround times.

• Player-Approved Quality: Designs the players loved that held up under tough play on the court."

Michael emphasized that “sponsors and participants have a lot of pride wearing their jerseys.”

What’s Next for Freedom Hoops?

Michael Loney and his team are excited to grow Freedom Hoops. By 2035, their goal is to see 100 disciples who are themselves cultivating disciples: young men who came through the program and are now mentoring the next generation. The organization is also praying for opportunities to open new outreach locations and impact thousands more youth across the city.

None of that happens without more coaches, mentors, and volunteers. As Michael put it, “Freedom Hoops” is always looking to partner with the community and see disciples made who will make more disciples.” Anyone interested in helping them carry out their Christ-centered mission can visit https://www.freedomhoops.org/volunteer.

We’re proud to have supplied the jerseys for this year’s tournament, and even prouder to keep supporting Freedom Hoops as the program expands. 

If you're in Kansas City and looking for a place to invest in young people, Freedom Hoops is a good one to start with. One court, one mentor, one disciple at a time; that's how lives keep changing in this city.