Local youth will soon enjoy a newly remodeled basketball court on Croft Road near Frankford Road East and Furneaux Lane, thanks to the collaboration of the City of Carrollton, Nancy Lieberman Charities, and Covenant Church in Carrollton. The partnership has resulted in a state-of-the-art Dream Court™, a multipurpose play space built in underserved communities to provide a safe place to shoot hoops, socialize, and learn about teamwork and good sportsmanship. The court will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, July 23 from 6-7 p.m. at 2100 Croft Road.

Guests at the ceremony will hear from Carrollton’s Mayor Pro Tem John Sutter, who will emcee the ceremony, Mayor Kevin Falconer, Police Chief Derick Miller and other members of CPD, and Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. Covenant Church (2660 East Trinity Mills Road), serves as the Dream Court donor and will be represented by Senior Pastor Stephen Hayes.

“A crucial part of building constructive, long-lasting relationships within the community is providing opportunities for police and residents to positively interact,” said Miller. “The City of Carrollton is fortunate to not only have a dedicated public safety team, but also a community of supporters. Projects like the Dream Court are only made possible when everyone gets involved and the same is true for maintaining a safe, secure environment in which to live.”

The City’s Parks & Recreation and Police Departments worked with both the charity and the church to provide this Dream Court in hopes it will foster the relationship between police officers and the communities they serve. With the addition of the Croft court in Carrollton, Lieberman Charities will have opened 62 Dream Court facilities since 2009.

"Carrollton is such a special place,” said Lieberman. “I just love seeing the kids on our Dream Courts and we're so thankful for the City of Carrollton and Covenant Church for all they do to promote health, fitness, and communication between local communities and law enforcement. It will be a place for years where young people can create memories and make incredible friendships.” 

Carrollton’s first Dream Court at Martha Pointer Park is also slated to be upgraded to a full-size basketball court in the fall, and Lieberman Charities has partnered with the United States Tennis Association (USTA), who is looking to host free monthly tennis clinics for kids in the community.

Lieberman is not only a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, a Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, and a charity founder, but also a two-time Olympian. She made history in 2010 as the first and only woman to be named head coach of an NBA-level team, the Texas Legends, and in 2015, Lieberman became the second female assistant coach in NBA history when she was hired by the Sacramento Kings. Lieberman is now the first female head coach of a men's professional league with Ice Cube's BIG3 League. 

For more information on the ribbon-cutting ceremony, visit cityofcarrollton.com/calendar. For more information on Dream Courts, visit nancyliebermancharities.org.