Zack Weinberger, a 15-year-old Livingston High School sophomore, has spent nearly seven years replacing worn-out basketball nets at parks and schools. He pays for the work with birthday and allowance money.

The project started when Weinberger was in third grade. He noticed a court with no net, a rusted backboard, cracked concrete and weeds growing through the pavement, as first reported by the West Essex Tribune. He put up a couple of nets himself. When he returned a few weeks later, children were playing on the court.

About a year after that first fix, the family found the town had rebuilt the court entirely, installing new concrete and new hoops. Weinberger had never asked anyone to make the repairs.

His parents drive him from court to court. The family keeps a large ladder in their car in case Weinberger spots a hoop that needs work.

The project has taken him to courts throughout the tri-state area and as far as Aruba and Costa Rica on family trips. Along the way, he has learned that not every rim takes the same net. Different rims require different thicknesses, and using the wrong one can cause the loops to slip off.

At one Livingston elementary school, Weinberger and his father used metal zip ties to secure a net on an older rim that lacked standard hooks. At another court, he repurposed string from an old net and wove a replacement onto a rim that would otherwise have gone unused.

He sometimes checks back weeks later to make sure a replacement is holding.

The nets held.

In the summer of 2024, while Weinberger and his father were replacing nets at Hillside Elementary School, a mother approached them. She said her children had been frustrated by the torn net because it made it hard to tell when a shot went in.

She gave Weinberger $100 and later posted about his work in a local Facebook group. Other residents contributed an additional $250.

His work has drawn recognition beyond Livingston. While attending a basketball camp in New York City, Weinberger began replacing nets at courts that were missing them. Coaches noticed, and he received the Cooper Stock Most Heart at Camp award, which honors the memory of Cooper Stock, a 9-year-old who died after being struck by a taxicab on Jan. 10, 2014.

The award recognizes a camper who demonstrates leadership and selflessness. At the ceremony, Weinberger received a trophy and a signed pair of basketball shoes from NBA player Dylan Harper, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs.

"If you see something wrong in the community, just take action," Weinberger said. "If it's just to fix up nets like I'm doing, or sports equipment, or even just cleaning up garbage around town, just to know that it'll make a difference for other people around you."

He is now considering contacting Livingston township officials about the outdoor basketball courts at Livingston High School. He said he wants to find out what the township might fund and whether local businesses or sponsors could help pay for improvements.

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