Hoop Dreams Do Come True
by George Diaz
Coach Keturah Hennis wears multiple hats at Tuskawilla Middle – she’s like the school’s Energizer Bunny of sports.
Fondly known as Coach K, Keturah is one of the school’s physical education instructors. She is also head coach of the boys’ basketball team and the coach of the boys and girls’ track and field and cross-country teams.
Keturah, 44, has another project percolating, too: she has launched a Jr. NBA League that will tip off in 2026. Her Jr. NBA Forza League is the first Jr. NBA-affiliated youth basketball program in Seminole County. It’s an expansive league for boys, girls, and coed teams for ages 6 to 14. The inaugural five-week spring session will run from February 28 to March 28, hosted at Tuskawilla Middle’s gymnasium in Oviedo.
“This was always the vision, but I didn’t think it was going to take off so quickly,” says Keturah, who has been a teacher and coach with Seminole County Public Schools for a decade.
Off to a Strong Start
The foundation for her Jr. NBA Forza League was laid in February 2022, when Keturah started the nonprofit Forza Hoops Inc. The Italian word forza means strength, reflecting the organization’s mission to empower youth through the game of basketball by promoting skill development, healthy lifestyles, and positive character growth.
After founding Forza Hoops, Keturah established connections with the NBA (specifically, the Orlando Magic) and the Jr. NBA program. In addition to league play, Forza Hoops offers courses and clinics designed to enhance the players’ knowledge of the game. For example, the organization recently hosted a daddy-daughter basketball clinic at Tuskawilla Middle.
“Forza Hoops is educational – not just for sports, not just for basketball players,” says Coach K. “If a child needs something, we try to make sure no child is left behind.”
With those words, Keturah is honoring the legacy of her great uncle Rod Paige, the country’s first African American secretary of education, who served under President George W. Bush. Rod, who passed away in December, was also the point person for the No Child Left Behind Act, a landmark education reform law.
Uncle Rod was a strong influence in Coach K’s life, as were her own coaches. Keturah, who grew up in Ohio, went to the College of Charleston in South Carolina on a full-ride basketball scholarship. Keturah then earned a master’s degree in physical education and sports studies from the University of Georgia. There, she played flag football on a team that won back-to-back state championships.
Paying It Forward
Keturah has used her own experiences to shape the way she motivates kids, whether it’s through Forza Hoops or the sports she coaches at Tuskawilla.
“I had great coaches growing up,” she says. “What drives me is how our coaches treated us and how they educated us. And I try to pass that along.”
Coach K also wants to give kids experiences other than screen time, which is why she thinks programs such as the Jr. NBA Leagues are so worthwhile.
“I would love kids to see what’s outside of the screen time and learn life skills as well,” says Keturah. “It has a light bulb effect in opening up the world to these kids.”
Registration is open for the Jr. NBA Forza League, and individuals, newly formed teams, recreation leagues, and AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) teams are welcome. Early registration is $250.
To learn more about Ketura’s league, search for Forza Hoops on Instagram or preregister at JrNBALeagues.com/league-finder.