Basketball Empowers 200 Chinese Migrant Girls

ABC TALENT Basketball Program: Spring 2012 Interschool Tournament

It’s Game Time!

On Saturday, June 9, sounds of intense competition filled the gymnasium of St. Paul American School (SPAS) as 77 players, 113 student spectators, 11 ABC staff, 11 partner school principals and teachers, 20 SPAS high school volunteers, and 37 TALENT volunteers gathered to participate in the 2nd TALENT inter-school basketball tournament!
Each of ABC’s four partner schools divided into two teams, and played 3 rounds. The teams of young, capable female athletes who have been training this past semester not only showed off their basketball skills, but also demonstrated their understanding of teamwork and competitive camaraderie. Xinghe overcame Zhenhua to win-it, and was recognized with a trophy (see below) and a museum field trip for all 23 basketball players, courtesy of our event sponsor, Sinopec Engineering Incorporation. Tournament final rivals met at half-stage to shake hands to conclude the award ceremony. 

Thanks to all the dedicated coaches/teachers who made it out to the courts every Saturday to train the players, including the delivery of lessons with important character development implications on and off the court!

- ABC Family

Dear ABC Supporters,

On March 24 the TALENT Basketball Program started its Spring 2012 Semester, bringing together on the court seasoned players and coaches, as well as new recruits, to collaborate and compete in the spirit of the 4Cs: Courage, Commitment, Care, and Confidence. 

Returning players include 44 students from Zhenhua School, Xinghe Bilingual School, and Pengying School. 

New recruits include 16 students from our newest migrant school partner, Diyi Xingongmin School! 

During the first session, TALENT rolled-out a freshly revised basketball skills curriculum. The revision efforts aimed to make basic training concepts easy-to-understand for youth new to the sport's skills, rules, and strategies. Curriculum development was led by a professional basketball player, with experience coaching youth in Korea and China. We hope that the accessibility of this curriculum will result in even more confident young female athletes!

Most importantly, the 4Cs continues to be the central component of the TALENT Basketball Program. We welcome 17 new volunteers who have committed 3 months of their time to 4Cs lesson planning and delivery, as well as skills coaching. We thank our volunteers for modeling and communicating soft skills and value sets that will benefit players as they encounter challenges on and off the court. 

For more details, including pictures of our newest partner school, and student anecdotes, see attached newsletter. 

Thanks for your continued interest and support in the empowerment of Chinese migrant girls via basketball! 

• Spring 2012: Seasoned Players and Fresh Recruits (PDF)