LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — The 15th annual "Sweep the Streets" Youth Basketball Tournament happened on Wednesday in Lebanon County.
The event was held at the 6th Street playground in Lebanon and, as the name suggests, the tournament is held with the intention of bringing kids off the streets and introducing them to sports in order to develop life skills.
There were 10 volunteers participating in the event. Sweep the Streets also hosts a high school league, formed six years ago, and a men's league which is also celebrating its 15-year anniversary.
The men's league is composed of former members of the program. The adults in the league mentor and support the yearly new crop of players.
"When you start playing any type of rec. sport, you come to build bonds and special relationships with the youth. And that's why we utilize basketball to get them on the courts," said George Rodriguez, the co-founder of Sweep the Streets.
"It's just about building a bridge between the youth and the adults and coming together and doing positive things," Rodriguez said.
The next men's league tournament is on Aug. 5 and 6 and will have 16 participating teams.