Emi Guimond has hooped around the globe, but she always returns home to Michigan. She played four years at Albion College followed by two seasons overseas, playing professionally in Portugal and Germany. When she didn’t land a contract after that, Emi thought her organized hooping days were over. In 2019, while traveling through Mexico, she landed a contract with Quetzales, a professional team there. Most recently, Emi signed a contract with the Liffey Celtics in Ireland for the 2021/22 season. Now she’s back in Brooklyn running Public Display of Affection, a restaurant she owns with her brother. We met while playing pick-up with the Sunday Washed Club. In all her travels, she never forgets about “Holy Grounds”, the public court that was built during her childhood and made a lasting impact on her. Even in its neglect, she still has a deep love for those double rims.

A rusted backboard, double rim with chain net. Text reads Sacred presents LIFE SPAN featuring @emiguimond

A photo of three outdoor basketball hoops. The text reads Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. We called our court Holy Grounds.

An outdoor basketball court with a small town in the background. Text reads: The name was because of its proximity to the catholic school, but more so because we needed it to sound as badass and legendary as The Cage for when we went pro & got famous

Side angle of a backboard and rim. Text reads: There aren't many courts in my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie in northern Michigan. From the time I started playing, if we weren't at school or home, my parents knew to check Holy Grounds for me and my bro

Basketball hoop. Angle is looking up through the net from below. Text reads: Back then, when it was new, pick up games ran on all three courts from morning until dark.

a basketball court at night. Text reads: As I got older traffic at the court thinned out.

Text reads: One year, the city didn't reinstall the drinking fountain after winter. It was a bad omen - the beginning of the end of Holy Grounds being the gather place it once was. Next, the tennis net never made it back up. Eventually, the bleachers

Close up of a basketball rim. Text reads: Twenty years later, it's in bad shape, and no one uses it.

Court covered in snow. Text reads: I hope the run moved somewhere else - that another court became popular and is building community in the same way as Holy Grounds was back then - but unfortunately I don't think that's true.

A court in need of repair. Cracks in the pavement and grass growing from it. Text reads: My friends comment on how much grass is growing through the cracks and we worry that every year they get closer to tearing it down.

a hoop with double rim and chain net. Text reads: I guess I feel like if I keep going when I'm in town, it'll prove the court still has value and the city will have no choice but to revive it.

a rusty backboard with a double rim and thread net. Text reads: I realize that's silly, but the plot twist is that I know there's some hope because someone puts up new nets.

rusted backboard with double rim and chain net. Text reads: The chain nets of my youth are gone - which is a shame because there's no music like the soud of a swish through a double rim and a chaint net.

a double rim, chain net, and a rusty backboard. Text reads: game.