Late Night Basketball Program Continues Impacting Fort Wayne Youth

The Fort Wayne United program aims to provide a safe environment and mentorship for teens on Saturday nights.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:54am

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Fort Wayne United's Late Night Basketball program has been a staple for the past 10 years, offering a safe haven for teens on Saturday nights. After a brief break in 2024, the program has relaunched with the goal of providing an alternative to keep kids off the streets during the prime time for crime. The program not only offers basketball, but also mentorship through staff and guest speakers, helping teens learn valuable lessons in conflict resolution and making good decisions.

Why it matters

Late Night Basketball is an essential program for the Fort Wayne community, addressing the issue of idle youth during the high-crime hours on Saturday nights. By offering a safe and nurturing environment, the program aims to steer teens away from trouble and provide them with positive role models and mentorship.

The details

The Late Night Basketball program is run by the Renaissance Pointe YMCA, with Wayne Kelly serving as the coordinator. The program not only offers basketball, but also brings in speakers from backgrounds that the teens can relate to, providing mentorship and having tough conversations. The basketball court itself is used as a way to teach conflict resolution skills in a nurturing environment.

  • The Late Night Basketball program has been a staple for Fort Wayne United for the past 10 years.
  • The program took a brief break in 2024 before relaunching.
  • The program is currently running on Saturday nights.

The players

Lakeya Stewart

Executive Director at the Renaissance Pointe YMCA.

Wayne Kelly

Coordinator of the Late Night Basketball program.

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What they’re saying

“The goal was to provide an alternative for kids, to keep them off the streets. During the prime time when crime existed, statistics show that between 8 and 11 p.m. time, that's when kids are idle. Saturday night, there's no school, and kids get in trouble. So the Y is that safe haven.”

— Lakeya Stewart, Executive Director at the Renaissance Pointe YMCA (wane.com)

“I call it just an adequate vehicle for a greater goal. So what we do on those nights is bring speakers in, usually someone from a background that the kids can see themselves in career-wise, or someone that's just mentoring them.”

— Wayne Kelly, Coordinator of Late Night Basketball (wane.com)

“There are a lot of men that show up that aren't afraid to have hard conversations with the guys, pull them to the side, hey, you're angry, what's going on? They may not have that at home, and so it's essential.”

— Lakeya Stewart, Executive Director at the Renaissance Pointe YMCA (wane.com)

What’s next

The Late Night Basketball program organizers plan to continue growing the program and being an outlet for the youth and teens of Fort Wayne.

The takeaway

The Late Night Basketball program is an essential community initiative that is making a meaningful impact on the lives of Fort Wayne's youth by providing a safe and nurturing environment, mentorship, and valuable life lessons through the game of basketball.