Bellefontaine graduate Jack Clement decided to make a change this summer in the community. After years of witnessing parks sit abandoned and unoccupied in Bellefontaine, he has decided to take matters into his own hands to help fight against a decline in youth activity in the area.

Clement, with the help of sponsors across the city, has launched the “Back Outside” program, an initiative designed to foster safe environments for young people to play pickup basketball while rebuilding the social connections that once made neighborhood courts a staple of childhood.

“A huge part of my childhood and so many other people’s was just playing basketball at the park, and it just kind of died,” Clement said. “You don't see bikes everywhere; you don't see kids everywhere anymore.”

Wanting to reverse that trend, Clement has taken on the role of supervisor during the events, helping create an atmosphere where safety, respect, and inclusion come first. By remaining at the courts throughout the games, he hopes to ensure that everyone has a positive experience and that violence or intimidation never become part of the environment.

That commitment to accessibility is one of the program’s central goals. Unlike organized leagues that often require fees, registration, or travel, Back Outside embraces the traditional spirit of pickup basketball by welcoming anyone who wants to participate.

“Nowadays there are the haves and have-nots; in pickup, that’s not a thing,” Clement said. “It’s free; there are no sign-ups.”

The program is set to continue this week at the newly renovated Harmon Park. Thanks to support from local sponsors, participants will receive free T-shirts and water at no cost, further removing barriers for those who want to join.

Beyond basketball, Clement believes the courts can provide valuable life lessons for young people.

“It’s a low-stakes environment where you learn to compete, learn to be a teammate, play a role, and you learn how to lose,” he said. “My focus was just to help these kids learn.”

Clement also hopes the program becomes a gathering place for the community as a whole, encouraging residents to come out and support one another, whether they plan to play or simply watch from the sidelines.

“I would just encourage as many people as possible, even if you don't play basketball,” Clement said. “Just show up, just show up and feel the camaraderie, feel the community, see the local businesses, the local families who are putting us on, supporting us financially, to be able to do this for free for everybody, and just feel the strength of the Bellefontaine community.”

As Back Outside gets underway, Clement hopes the program will help bring life back to local parks while creating new opportunities for young people to connect, compete, and build lasting friendships—one pickup game at a time.