JASON SETNYK
Cornwall’s Jacob Nimene, a 20-year-old St. Lawrence College graduate, has launched the C.U.C.B.A Summer League presented by Shoeless Joe’s, a new men’s basketball league aimed at filling the gap in summer programming for young men.
“I realized there was nothing for young men to do here in the summer,” Nimene said. “I reached out to friends, and the interest exploded.”
Jacob took inspiration from a capstone project he completed while studying in Kingston. He approached businesses, St. Lawrence College, and the Cornwall & United Counties Basketball Association (CUCBA) for support-successfully forming six competitive teams and recruiting over 60 players from Cornwall, Alexandria, Akwesasne, and Ottawa.
The league offers more than just basketball. “It’s amazing. It feels like you’re with family,” he said. Winning teams are treated to meals courtesy of Shoeless Joe’s.
The league has already made a noticeable impact.
“Every time I leave the house, people talk about it-it’s kind of crazy,” Nimene said. “It shows how much something like this was needed.”
