Ahead Of The Field

The transformation of an old United Artists movie theater into a top-tier sports center for children may not be all that surprising in a city where meat-packing slaughterhouses have been converted into chic retail stores. But like many of the movies that used to play at the UA on First Avenue between 84th and 85th Streets, the arrival of the multimillion dollar state-of-the-art sports facility, known as Fastbreak Sports for its emphasis on basketball, is a tale of a dream come true.

The dreamer in question is a friendly, energetic lifelong New Yorker named Lonny Levine, who grew up rooting for those great Knicks teams of the late 60s and early 70s, played high school basketball and baseball at Columbia Grammar and Prep on the Upper West Side, and was even a soda vendor at Knicks’ games. About eight years ago, Levine decided to transition out of a successful career in the Garment District in order to launch Fastbreak. Since then he’s turned a simple idea—quality basketball instruction for kids—into one of the most popular basketball programs in the city.

Fastbreak officially launched in 2006 with 35 kids practicing their basketball skills on the weekends. Now there are more than 1,000 children participating in Fastbreak’s basketball programs (including classes, leagues, travel teams, one-on-one training, and private group sessions) as well as in its flag football leagues (Fastbreak’s other main sport). To grow Fastbreak, Levine used his ample logistics and deal-making skills for the task of renting and organizing court time at school gyms and other facilities around the city that have basketball courts in addition to running flag football in public and private fields. When Fastbreak Sports opens its own flagship facility on November 11, it’ll be a very public testament to how far the program has come and where Levine and his founding partners—Stanley Shopkorn, Jack Irushalmi, and Jason Rabin—hope to take it.

“I think it’s an advantage that I grew up in New York City. I’m also a parent of two children who have grown up in New York City too. My son has helped me understand the needs of kids today, but I also understand the needs of parents,” Levine says. “My past sports experiences—playing high school ball and coaching after high school—have brought the whole thing together for me.”

The idea for Fastbreak originally came to Levine when he took his son, then 8, to a local basketball program and noticed that the children were practicing on a basket that was mounted too high. When his criticism was brushed aside, Levine started thinking about how this could be done better and how he’d love to do it. “It’s scary, but it’s the best thing I ever did,” Levine said about leaving the Garment District to start Fastbreak. “I work 24/7, but I don’t feel like I work.”

Lately, much of that 24/7 has been dedicated to developing the new facility. Working with Frank Denner Architects, Levine has equipped Fastbreak’s new space—a sleek 7,000-plus-square-foot gym—with a full-size basketball court, seven baskets, glass backboards, flatscreen televisions, a professional-level basketball court (just under regulation size), a parents’ viewing balcony, and, with a nod to the bursting-with-kids neighborhood of the venue, a room for birthday parties. Levine expects Fastbreak to grow in its wonderful new home in two key ways: For the first time, the organization will offer age-appropriate sports classes for toddlers and preschoolers; at the same time, it’ll also broaden its menu of classes and expert coaching and training for kids ages five and up.

The classes for younger kids will begin in January, with multi-sport classes in the mornings and early afternoons for toddlers and preschoolers ages 1.5- 5 as well as two-hour separation classes for preschoolers 2.5 and up. For its grade-schoolers on up to through its teenagers, Fastbreak’s plan is to have their players continue to practice together and play games at rented spaces around the city, but they’ll also be able to come to the new home for afterschool classes and evening training. There will be classes and training available for all ages on the weekend as well.

To staff up, Levine has hired eight full-time coaches and over 20 part-timers, whereas in the past he could only afford to enlist part-time coaches for 10 hours a week. “I am now able to do more education, to basically bring up the level of coaching and teaching for our kids,” he says. “Between the cutting-edge equipment and education process, we’re now going to offer everything kids need to take them to the next level.”

At the same time, parents with children already involved with Fastbreak will immediately tell you that they love about the program (and about Levine) as much for the life lessons their kids learn as for the emphasis on skills and development. As Fastbreak parent David Steinfeld attests, athletes like his 9-year-old son Drew have learned a lot about character from his Fastbreak coaches.

“Drew thinks he’s LeBron, even though he’s a nice little Jewish kid,” Steinfeld says. “One time he walked onto the court like a hot shot with the laces of his expensive sneakers untied. The coach blew the whistle on him. They stopped the whole game so Drew could tie his laces in front of everybody. It embedded in him that this was the real deal and that you have to respect yourself and everyone else. He wouldn’t listen to me. He [listens] to them.”

Levine himself describes Fastbreak’s overall view of working with kids this way: “Our goal is to build self-esteem. If you can build self-esteem in the child, they’re going to want to play more. As they play more, they are going to start to get better. Certain kids just need to be pushed further and certain kids need a positive, nurturing environment. We try and find that happy balance.”

Levine may seem like a natural, but he goes the extra yard to continue to improve as a coach and manager. Over the years, he has visited with and established ongoing relationships with program directors at elite basketball clinics around the country. “The rewarding part is when we actually bring these ideas back to the kids and we see their progress and enjoyment in their development,” he says.

As he looks ahead to starting this new phase of Fastbreak, Levine says that if all goes as planned, he hopes to start other centers around the city. Meanwhile, every day he manages Fastbreak, he tries to follow the same advice he gives his kids on the court. “It’s a lot of trial and error, and it comes organically,” Levine says. “Get into the gym, find your goals, and find your own way. Starting a new business is like starting a new sport. You never know until you try.”