Middle schooler procures new basketball nets for Sonoma campuses

Basketball courts across Sonoma Valley are looking a lot spiffier thanks to new nets procured by Presentation School eighth grader Dane Hansen.

Hansen is an avid basketball player and he says shooting hoops helped him pass the time during COVID. It also gave him the idea for his eighth grade service project at school.

He decided to replace all the basketball nets in Sonoma Valley, including all the schools and parks from Kenwood to Sonoma, in total 70 nets.

At first Hansen asked some of the large sporting goods companies to donate the nets but didn't have any luck, so he asked family and friends for donations and was able to raise enough money to cover all 70 nets.

In the end, Sports Basement ordered the nets for Hansen and sourced the best price for him and gave him a discount so he was able to actually purchase a few more than expected and provide some locations with back-up nets.

"It was refreshing and inspiring to work alongside a young man who cares so much for others and spent his time making something for others to enjoy,“ said Doug Weidemann, SVUSD manager of maintenance and operations.