The discussion about retirement and what lies ahead led Jen Anthony to ask her new husband what he would do in his spare time if he could do something in the world with him.
His answer? Replace old basketball hoop nets in public parks with new ones.
So she set up a non-profit organization and on his 52nd birthday gave him the bindings with legal documents that would allow him to do just that.
Nets on the Run is now in its 15th year of replacing old networks, cleaning parks in the San Antonio area and renovating public sports equipment.
“It drives me crazy to go to court and see broken wheels or no nets hanging or anything,” said Lee Anthony, the recipient of his wife’s non-profit gift. “And for anyone who plays on public courts, a new network can be a big deal.
Anthony, a 66-year-old Air Force veteran who has served for 23 years, has always been an avid basketball fan. Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller The turning pointhe said he was aware that small acts of kindness – such as making public basketball facilities look attractive – could make a big difference in people’s lives and communities.
The Anthony family hopes that by replacing basketball nets, renovating courts and cleaning parks, they can inspire more children to go behind the screens of electronic devices and enjoy the outdoors.
For some children, “this is their only hope of getting out of a bad situation – sports,” said Jen Anthony. “It’s amazing how excited kids will be when they have a brand new network or you know, parents feel better about letting their kids play in an area that looks good.”
The couple began by simply driving around San Antonio on the weekends to identify public parks in disrepair, Lee Anthony said. That sometimes meant jumping over a fence or two, his wife added with a laugh. These days, the couple is working with the city of San Antonio to determine where they need it.
One of Anthony’s neighbors is George Block, a prominent swimming coach who was named the notary of the Northside Independent School District. He heard about what the couple was doing and turned to San Antonio Sports, another local nonprofit, to see if he wanted to work with Nets on the Run.
In addition to hosting major events such as the NCAA Final Four, San Antonio Sports has partnered with local schools and school districts to make public school grounds more open and accessible to locals. After Block facilitated the presentation, San Antonio Sports began notifying Nets on the Run when a school playground needed a facelift.
“It’s been a great relationship ever since,” said Jen Anthony.
In recent years, the couple and an ever-growing team of volunteers have ventured outside of San Antonio. They spend about three months a year in Panama, where they also began helping to improve sports facilities.
“We changed football networks and the children will play about 10 to 12 hours a day. It’s their game of the day, “said Lee Anthony.
He said one of the best things about their small and simple non-profit organization is how far donations go. “You can hang a lot of basketball nets for $ 1,000,” he said.
The couple said there was still a lot of work to be done in San Antonio. Recently, their focus has shifted to the fast-growing sport of pickball, a cross between ping-pong and tennis. In addition to switching basketball nets, the couple hopes to help the sport of pickball grow.
“While our city is doing an amazing job with outdoor recreation and has done so much with the trail system here – this is the best I’ve seen everywhere I’ve lived – there aren’t many public [sports] courts here, “Anthony said. “So we hope to help expand that. You know, every dollar we can save in the city is money that can go into other things that the community needs.