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I Can't Imagine Myself without PeacePlayers
My name is Laith Subhi, I'm 19 years old, and I live in a neighborhood called Beit Safafa in Jerusalem. I've been in PeacePlayers since 2010 and I'm a part of the Leadership Development Program (LDP).
At first I joined PPI because I love to play basketball, but after I joined PPI, I found it focused on more than just playing basketball. Coming from this conflicted region, I grew up with the two sides, Arabs and Jews, trying to keep us segregated and not one unified team.
Lately the situation has gotten worse and I don't always feel safe, especially in Jerusalem. It's difficult for me to use the public transportation like buses or taxis because I am afraid of being recognized as an Arab and possibly being attacked. This is the same for me walking in the streets alone. Yet, I know the work we are doing with PeacePlayers is important because of the current situation.
I was amazed at the beginning when I saw how PPI could combine the two sides peacefully and without any racism. We were able to put our conflict on the side and just concentrate on the game and enjoy it.
Through the years in PPI I not only made new friends from the other side – Jews – but also I've learned that we should not judge anyone by his/her religion or national identity.
The connections and the relations were made stronger between PPI players because of the experiences and the activities we had together like local trips and basketball trainings. But the most amazing experience we had was last month when we traveled to USA for two weeks and we introduced PeacePlayers—Middle East to people. Meeting people who support this organization motivated me to keep on giving more and more to PPI.
One of the characters that inspired and motivated me the most was Susan Rice, the U.S. National Security Advisor, who welcomed us in the White House and found time in her very busy schedule to come and play basketball with us. She engaged in conversations with us and motivated us to continue our work. We were amazed were amazed by her attitude towards bringing peace and change to the Middle East.
In those two weeks we put the conflict on a side and enjoyed every moment together. We shared moments together that we will never forget and will be with us forever. I am hoping to go through this experience again in the future.
Maybe we have different languages, religions, and national identities but in the end we are all humans, and each day we learn how to respect each other although we have different points of view. For all these reasons I can't imagine myself without PeacePlayers. I am hoping through our work that we will be the change in the future.
PeacePlayers International – South Africa: Opening new doors and improving lives, one coach at a time
This week's blog is written by PeacePlayers International – South Africa Coach Gabreila "Gabby" Gokova. Gabby joined PPI-SA in February and has never looked back. Her calming and never say never attitude have been felt not only by the players she coached at Carrington Primary school, but the PPI staff and her fellow coaches as well.
I started with PeacePlayers International – South Africa in February, and this year was my first time coaching basketball and life skills. Not knowing what exactly I was getting myself into, I was so nervous and scared leading up to my first practice. I did not know exactly what to do. We had workshops and trainings, but the thought of implementation had me underneath the covers. Fortunately one of my mentors, PPI staff member Ryan Douwie, started off with me. I would go to his practices, watch what he did and then he would come to mine to help me out. Now looking back, I don't know what I was afraid of really because the experience of working with children was just too much fun and amazing. The kids at Carrington Primary School always seemed to teach me something new. This whole year has taught me a lot about myself, including stepping outside of my comfort zone.
Besides coaching basketball and life skills, PeacePlayers International has opened new doors for me. I had the opportunity to travel to Cape Town and be part of the Laureus Youth Empowerment through Sports (YES) Programme. Without PPI, I wouldn't have had this opportunity to meet others from across Africa and learn their cultures.
My favourite moment of the year was the 24th City Wide Tournament. In my first City Wide earlier in the year, I had no idea what to do and I was all over the place not knowing where to go. I felt overwhelmed trying to help organize 300+ kids. This last tournament was different. I took initiative to make sure everything went accordingly on my court. I was familiar with the location, knew the procedure, and the best way to interact with kids I didn't know. On top of that, my girls won the tournament. I still remember that last whistle signaling the end of the championship game. I was ecstatic. It felt so cool seeing all our hard work throughout the year paying off.
Working for PeacePlayers International has been such an amazing experience throughout this whole year. I've seen myself and others grow. My communication skills have strengthened tremendously. I'm not afraid to talk to people as much as I was before. I used to be extremely shy, but now I am a very outspoken young lady.
I loved every minute of this year. Not only did I learn a lot of things, but I had so much fun with my colleagues and can say they have become more like family to me. I hope more youths out there can find organizations such as PeacePlayers International to help them learn about themselves and open new doors for them as it has for me. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity PPI gave me this year and can't wait for 2015!
A Sneak Peek Into PeacePlayers International's #WhyIPlay Video Challenge
In this week's blog post, Communications and Development Intern, Matthew Agar, provides a preview of PeacePlayers International's #WhyIPlay Video Challenge. The #WhyIPlay Video Challenge is part of PPI's Giving Tuesday campaign, a global day of giving back to charitable causes.
In the United States of America and Canada, the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us. People are hitting the road to go to big family dinners. Jolly uncles and sweet aunts are stuffing themselves with turkey and pumpkin pie. Most importantly, individuals around the world are hitting the stores and the web to find the best deals on clothes, electronics, and jewelry on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Wait, what?!
Yes, the beginning of what singer Andy Williams called the most wonderful time of the year marks the height of enormous devouring of things many of us do not need. Maybe I am being too harsh here, but is this not the opposite of what we should be doing around this time of year? The story of Thanksgiving tells us that we should be thankful for what we have, not thankful for what we can get. Better yet, should we not be giving to those who are in need, whether that need be clothing or food in the case of the impoverished, or a chance at peace in the case of PeacePlayers International's youth leaders? I think the answer in both these cases is yes we should. While helping the poor is very important, the point of this blog post is to show how YOU can help in giving the youth at PeacePlayers a chance at peace.
Starting October 27 at 12:00 am, US EST, PeacePlayers International will be participating in Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday, officially December 2, is a global day of giving to charitable causes. PeacePlayers will be taking part in Giving Tuesday in many ways such as posting on social media and encouraging people to donate to our programs. However, the part of Giving Tuesday that I am most proud to be involved in, and the part I am leading, is a video challenge called #WhyIPlay.
Here is the jist of the #WhyIPlay Video Challenge. Beginning October 27 at midnight, submit a 30 to 45 second video to our WooBox platform. Show us why you play sports. In the same video, and in the spirit of Giving Tuesday, explain how you plan to give back to the sports you love. Enter your video. Invite your friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends to take the challenge (the more people you invite, the more bonus votes you get). Vote for videos you like. Oh, and do not forget to share your video and our challenge on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #WhyIPlay.
#WhyIPlay is PeacePlayers' way of reaching out to the world to show how sports help make people feel happy with themselves, the people they know, and the environment around them. We want the challenge to be a humbling rather than competitive experience, but at the same time, we know from the basketball court that competition is unavoidable. Therefore, the video submission that receives the most votes and is the most inspiring will be featured as our promotional video on Giving Tuesday. Any questions? If so, feel free to email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Get pumped and get ready to show us why you play!
"I wouldn't change being a part of PeacePlayers for anything in the world."
Today's blog is written by Cyprus Leadership Development Program participant Alim Sancar. She shares with us her experience with PeacePlayers and what opportunities she has taken advantage of over the years.
Hi! My name is Alim. I'm 17 years old and I'm in my last year of high school. I have been participating in PeacePlayers since 2008. I was introduced to PeacePlayers by my basketball coach when I was in 6th grade and I fell in love with the organisation immediately. Coach Bahar used to take us to all the activities of the organisation throughout the year, so after a while I genuinely started to enjoy being around Greek-Cypriots and having them as my friends.
After 6 years of being a part of this organisation, after meeting hundreds of Greek-Cypriots throughout the years, and having the privilege to know such great people, I realized how much I want there to be peace and unity between Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. The language may be different but our culture is very similar and that is what helps us warm up to each other so quickly. Since I was a child, I wanted to be a part of the old Cyprus where people lived in harmony. I have many Greek-Cypriot friends that I talk to constantly and we have met a few times outside of the PeacePlayers activities which made me feel like they were truly my friends and not just people that I only see when I have to. All the summer camps and the Leadership Development camps are a blast. I feel blessed to be a part of an organisation that can introduce you to new people, enhance your socialising skills, improve your basketball game and teach you about peace and so many other things all at the same time. Also, the coaches and the special visitors of this organisation are exceptional.
My favourite thing about PeacePlayers is that there is FREE FOOD. Just kidding :D My favourite thing is that whenever there's an activity, I get over-excited with joy and whenever I see my Greek-Cypriot friends for the first time after a few months I feel like I'm seeing my family again, and when we go to the summer camps or LDP camps in Agros I feel like I'm going home. The feeling of belonging somewhere, to something so great and so inspiring is my favourite thing about PeacePlayers-Cyprus. I wouldn't change being a part of PeacePlayers for anything in the world.
Introducing Courtney Boylan, PPI – ME's Most Recent Amazing Import
My name is Courtney Boylan, and I am the newest member of PPI-ME! I officially started working with PeacePlayers a little over two weeks ago, and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you how I was able to get involved with such an amazing organization, where in the coming year, I will be providing support to coaches in Jerusalem and the north.
Originally I am from Minnesota, "Land of 10,000 lakes", but I have also lived in Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, and Indiana. I attended college at the University of Michigan, where I majored in Sport Management and was a 4-year letter winner on the basketball team. Choosing to go to school so far from home was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but it proved to be the best decision I've ever made.
At Michigan, I was able to earn a degree at one of the greatest Universities in the world while playing basketball in one of the toughest conferences in the country (The Big Ten). I made countless memories and friendships that will last a lifetime, and most importantly: I fell in love. I met Stuart Douglass my first day on campus my freshman year at Michigan, and we have been dating ever since (over 6 years now). The reason I bring this up, and why he is so important in talking about my journey to the Middle East and working for PeacePlayers, is because he is the reason that I am even living in Israel.
After college, I was fortunate enough to get a job as a Division 1 Assistant Coach at Northern Kentucky University, and Stuart set his sights on playing professional basketball. Since last year, Stuart has been playing professionally in Israel, and after two years apart, we decided that the following season I would join him in Israel!
It was such an exciting time for the both of us to finally be together, but it was also very scary. I had to leave my job as an assistant coach, and my friends and family were very concerned about me living in country going through so much conflict, much of which I didn't even understand myself. But, what I did know was that I wanted to stay involved with basketball.
One of my Sport Management professors at the University of Michigan, who is Jewish-American and has family living in Israel, was the one who told me about PeacePlayers International. After he told me about PPI and I did some research, I knew that I wanted to join them in their mission. PPI isn't just about basketball; it's about educating and inspiring children from areas of conflict to create a more peaceful world.
As a player and coach I saw first hand how sport, specifically basketball, could be used as a tool to bring so many different types of people together. Basketball has given and taught me so much: discipline, respect, acceptance, self-worth, humility, friendships, mentors, love… and the list could go on. I am extremely excited to be apart of something so special with PPI and hopefully I can pass on some of the things I have learned to members of PeacePlayers.
What I have found out already, in my short time with PPI, is how much I am going to learn. Before coming to Israel, I really didn't know much about the conflict going on here. I had no idea how big of a deal it really is to have Arabs and Jews playing together on the same team, and not only that, but becoming friends. These players break down countless years of prejudice, fighting, and history, and it is basketball that is bringing them together.
Another Bostonian comes to PeacePlayers Northern Ireland!
Name: Shawna Walsh
From: Boston, Massachusetts USA
College: Boston University, BA International Relations
M. Phil Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation Candidate- Trinity College Dublin, Irish School of Economics
Sports Achievements/Accomplishments:
AAU and MetroWest Basketball player, Best Defender Sarah Behn Basketball Camp, Algonquin Regional High School Soccer, Basketball and Softball (ASA League Softball Pitcher, ODP and Premier League Soccer Member) and MVP Varsity Softball
What interested me about PeacePlayers:
Growing up playing three sports (soccer, softball and of course, basketball), I always saw the power in the formation of a team. You find yourself building friendships with people you wouldn't necessarily have associated with before and form a bond through learning and training. PeacePlayers gives kids the chance to play and interact with others they wouldn't have necessarily ever met and in an open facilitated platform. In particular, I am most excited to meet these kids, learn from them, and to help create a safe environment for them to learn one of my favorite games!
I came to Belfast to study Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation in what is considered to be a transitioning society. I wanted to be a part of the transformation process through sports because it is an amazing opportunity. Youth will play such a critical role in maintaining peace in Northern Ireland and allowing kids to form a common bond will only help enable change in their communities. The power of our youth cannot be underestimated as a vehicle for change!
Facilitation & Coaching Experience:
My first facilitation experience post university was with the Global Young Leaders Conference which brought high school students from over 100 countries to Washington, DC and New York to learn cross-cultural communication, leadership skills and strategies in international diplomacy, security and development. The program was life-changing seeing these students grow and learn in just 12 days, making friends across continents and taking on civic leadership roles within their communities!
Having spent the past few years working on a contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), I have seen first hand that capacity-building in the form of facilitated retreats has proven to be pivotal in helping the overall effectiveness of the development work that is carried out all over the world. Working with teams in an office environment surprisingly has a lot of similarities to what you discover within sports teams such as; the importance of inclusion, diversity, playing on individual members' strengths and mitigating weaknesses to maximize opportunities as well as the "flow" of work and strategy. I'm hoping that my professional background in facilitation, team-building and leadership development will be helpful in my work as a seasonal coach and as a small part of the very energetic PeacePlayers Team during my time here in Belfast.
Fun Facts: I am…
a UN Nerd, a Boston Sports Fan and all that entails, majorly clumsy and own it, an overly obsessive aunt, a twin, and only slightly awkward.
This One is for Senzo
In today's blog, Fellow Bryan Franklin reflects on an emotional game at Moses Mabhida Stadium this past weekend.
The news swept across South Africa as violently as the Durban wind in October. On 25 October 2014, Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana's (SA's national soccer team) goalkeeper and captain was shot and later died after a robbery of his girlfriend's house.
This wasn't supposed to be how the story ended. Like so many kids PPI works with, Senzo Meyiwa grew up in Umlazi. While in Secondary School his coach at the time scraped enough money together to take him and a few teammates up to the Orlando Pirates Youth Academy tryout. Meyiwa immediately impressed and went on to play for the club at the junior level, the U-17 National team and made his debut for the senior level Pirates team in 2006. Up until this point , Meyiwa had lead Bafana Bafana to a first place ranking in its AfCon qualifying group, having yet to surrender a goal.
This past Saturday, three weeks after their captain and goalkeeper had passed away, Bafana Bafana took to the field with a chance to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2008. In honour of their late captain, the match was moved to Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
From the moment I entered the stadium, the emotion and intensity hit me. Posters had been made to honour their fallen leader, and in an experience unlike any other I had been a part of, the stadium joined together for South Africa's National Anthem. The Anthem in itself has special meaning to the rainbow country. Adopted in 1997, South Africa's National Anthem employ the five mostly widely spoken of SA's eleven official languages—Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English. It's a beautiful representation of a country made up of different backgrounds coming together as one.
A moment of silence followed the anthem. It was to be the last silence of the afternoon, as right from the beginning, Bafana Bafana jumped all over its Sudanese opponent, scoring twice in the first half. Sudan came out strong following the break, threatening multiple times before finally bringing the spread back to one goal with 20 minutes to play. Bafana Bafana's defense held strong however, and the final whistle blew with a score of South Africa 2 – 1 Sudan.
As the stadium erupted in cheer and the jumbotron flashed: "congratulations South Africa, qualified for the Afcon for the first time since 2008", there was no question who this victory was for. The game, and the afternoon were another example of a now famous quote made by Nelson Mandela at the Laureus Sport for Good Awards:
"Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair."
New Intern on Living Life for Peace at PeacePlayers
In his first blog post, new Communications and Development Intern, Matthew Agar, explains how he aims to live a life in the service of peace as part of PeacePlayers International. Matthew is a junior in American University's School of International Service in Washington, DC.
The famous rock n' roller John Lennon once eloquently said, "Imagine all the people living life in peace". When John sang these words, he dreamed of a world without divisions; he envisioned for a world without borders; he yearned for an end to religious, ethnic, and national strife, and he flirted with the possibility of a world without material possessions. John Lennon spent most of the last few years of his life imagining such a world. I want to make it.
My name is Matthew Agar. I am a 20-year old American Jew from Old Bethpage, New York. I study International Studies, Arabic Language, and Economics at American University in Washington, DC. In my studies, I focus on Peace and Conflict Resolution and the Middle East. While my academic experience seems to be enough information to know I am in the business of peace, what I do outside the classroom shows that I am also living life for peace.
So, what does it mean to live life for peace? Living life for peace has three parts: being at peace with the world, living life in peace with the world, and giving life to peace in the world. Each part holds a special place in my psyche that provides meaning to the work I do inside and outside of PeacePlayers.
First, in order to be at peace with the world, I need to help others. As the new Communications and Development Intern at PeacePlayers International, I feel I am doing my part in healing the wounds of the world (Tikkun Olam in Hebrew) one small step at a time. Sure, the work is not glamorous, but it goes a long way to helping PeacePlayers transform the lives of individuals for the better around the world.
Second, in order to live in peace with the world, I need to work towards bridging the divides that separate me from others. Within PeacePlayers, it means supporting the building of connections between different races and religions in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Cyprus and the Middle East. Beyond PeacePlayers, it means unleashing peoples' inner angels through interfaith dialogue as Chief Operations Officer of the non-governmental organization International Peace Quest Institute. The constant piece of my work with both organizations is the need to forgive, forget, and unite with past enemies.
Third, in order to give life to peace in the world, I need to have fun. In my spare time, I have fun by playing basketball, practicing boxing, singing, and writing poetry. One of the most fun jobs I have ever had is in my current role as an after-care counselor for Janney Elementary School in Washington, DC. I get to play games and sports with young children and my co-workers; what is more fun than that! Judging by the fun, witty banter of Adam, Taylor, and Gunnar at PeacePlayers Headquarters my first week as an intern, I can already tell that this opportunity will be my coolest gig yet.
A Super Time was had at PPI-NI's Super Twinning's
Operation's Team Leader Debbie Byrne shares on how Super Twinning's are vitally important to the work of PPI in Northern Ireland.
Over the last couple of weeks PPI-NI ran two Super Twinning's – one for children in West Belfast and one for children from North Belfast. What are Super Twinning's? It is a basketball tournament where children from the twinned primary schools from that area of the city get together and compete against each other.
The West Belfast Super Twinning happened on Wednesday the 22nd of October and had to happen in two parts because of the number amount of children we had in each of the schools. West Belfast Coordinator Casey Tryon was delighted with how the day went. On arrival one of the children was disappointed that their twinning partner could not come; she said "but we can't do it without them". The little girl was happy again when she found out she was able to twin with another school for the day.
On the 7th of November we had the North Belfast Super Twinning. Again, it was another fun filled, competitive day. Coordinator Joanne Fitzpatrick again organized a wonderful day and the kids went away with red faces and huge smiles. One of the best things for me on the day was that my team won!
Super Twinning's are a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of logistical organization and we need a lot of coaches to make it work. However, it is absolutely worth the effort! The children who come take on a whole new identity as they compete with the school they twin with against other twinned schools. They cheer on other teams who are part of their twinning and become one united, integrated team. Bridging divides, uniting communities and developing leaders who make a difference in their communities is what we are all about at PPI-NI.
The Super Twinning's are a great example of the progress that is being made in establishing a new sense of shared community and identity in historically divided areas. My favorite quote from the day I picked up as one child was leaving the Super Twinning. I overheard one girl say to her friends "it's not about the winning but it's about taking part". How true!!
Representing PeacePlayers in Qatar!
This past week, Cyprus LDP participant Dimitris Charalambos traveled to Doha Qatar for a week and represented PeacePlayers International at the Doha Goals conference. He speaks about his experience and how he is proud to be a part of an organization like PeacePlayers.
Hello everyone! My name is Dimitris Charalambous and I am one of the Greek-Cypriot members of PeacePlayers International-Cyprus. I have been a part of the organization for two years now, but I am not planning to ever stop being a part. I love this organization because it unites Greek-Cypriots with Turkish-Cypriots by doing what we all love, playing basketball!
First time I heard about PeacePlayers was when a friend came up to me and told me I should come to free trainings in my village, so I decided why not go there. When I learned what PeacePlayers is all about I got really into it because I believe we need to live in peace with the north side of Cyprus. We are all the same no matter what religion or country you are from.
Last month Peaceplayers contacted me and told me I could apply to go to a program called Doha Goals in Doha, Qatar. I applied and I got accepted to go there. The way I saw it is that I am going there to represent PeacePlayers. I am not going for vacation because PeacePlayers are the ones who gave me this opportunity. When I arrived at Doha for Doha-Goals, I arrived with a different group of Cypriots who I never met before but I become really good friends with them. That did not stop me from making new friends from all over the world with people from America, Africa, Luxemburg, Greece, Nigeria, and from many other countries.
When I told people about PeacePlayers they really liked the idea of the organization and they also shared with me things that they do to stop racism in their country or any other problems they have. By talking with all these people I realized that we are not the only ones who want peace in their country and all over the world. Also, we listened to a lot of debates that talked about sport that were very inspiring. So a big THANK YOU to PeacePlayers International-Cyprus for asking me to apply. I learned many things from this trip like problems other countries are facing and how they are trying to bring peace in their country as we are trying in Cyprus and it inspired me to keep going and never stop. Again, thank you for giving me this opportunity and I will never stop supporting PeacePlayers.
How 2 Weeks in the US Made Us Stronger
On October 6, 30 Israeli and Palestinian youth basketball coaches from PeacePlayers International – Middle East visited the USA for a two-week cultural exchange supported by the U.S. Department of State's SportsUnited Program. The exchange was the culmination of a two year in-country Leadership Development Program to facilitate a cadre of young Palestinian and Israeli coaches who will work together through sports. After returning home, Neta Daniel, a member of PPI's All-Stars team which recently won the Israeli National Championship, reflected on her time in America.
Hi. I'm Neta Daniel, 18, from Jerusalem, and I've been in PeacePlayers for four years. Right now, I'm part of the Leadership Development Program, and I play for the Jerusalem All-Stars [integrated league teams].
Last month we got back from a two-week trip from the U.S., which were two weeks that I will remember for the rest of my life. I'd waited for this trip all year, and at every LDP meeting, we'd talk about what would take place there, prepared for the encounters we would have, and mostly dreamed about what it would be like.
All of this excitement was cut short by the events of this past summer. For anyone who doesn't know, we didn't have the easiest summer. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict stretched beyond their usual boundaries and became closer to us than ever, as people close to us were hurt, and every few days there was a siren [in Jerusalem], after which we had to run to the shelters.
When it came to the flight, this crazy period had calmed down a bit, but I flew with mixed feelings. I felt that, on the one hand, the fact that we are all flying together shows that our friendship is strong, but on the other hand, I wasn't sure just how strong, and I was afraid that the situation would be undermined and change, and that being in the U.S. would destroy [our friendships] even more.
I was wrong. In America, I learned to what extent the friendships that I formed in PPI are strong, profound and capable of resisting extreme circumstances such as those we experienced in the summer.
Our friendships only became stronger in the U.S., and every day, I felt like I learned new things about my Arab friends, and about myself, whether it was a conversation we had on the subway or while waiting in line for a ride at Six Flags, a conversation with people from the PeacePlayers board, or even just a conversation before going to sleep – all of these experiences and little conversations are what made this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The trip was so packed with so many events and meetings. The fun experiences like Six Flags, shopping, an NBA game, accompanied experiences like the activity at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, where we ran an activity for elementary school kids, and the visit to the White House, and visits to the homes of the amazing and special people, each of whom have a special connection to PPI.
At all of these events, I met people like Mark and Marty Tuohey, Evan Ryan, Ron Shapiro, The Lipman Family, R.C Buford, Dr. Chad Ford, Brian Kriftcher, Win Sheridan and many more people, every single one of whom inspired me. Every one of them gave me faith in what we are doing in PeacePlayers. Each one gave me motivation to continue to believe in the particular way that I chose to play basketball. Each one of these people made me understand how important and significant this activity, which seems to us so ordinary – playing basketball together – can change awareness, perception, a human being and an entire family.
PPI, Where I Get to Come to Work Every Day and Impact People's Lives
This week's blog is written by Coach Yamkela (Yam) Nako. Yam has been coaching for PPI for five years, and is one of our hardest working coaches. He's an incredible student of the game, and has a deep passion to not only see his players become better basketball players, but better people as well.
Hi everyone, coach Yamkela (a.k.a "the man", "coach Phil", "the bally in Wentiez") here. I am currently the coach at Assegai Primary School and the high school coach for PPI's LDP in Wentworth, Durban.
Firstly I would like to thank everyone from PeacePlayers for a great year of basketball. 2014 was another great coaching year that gave me the opportunity to change and develop lives of players in one of the coolest communities I've ever had the chance to work in—Wentworth. I would also like to thank all the parents and the best school rep anyone could ask for, Miss Leroux Webster. Thank you to the PPI Staff and fellows. We said
goodbye to two good fellows Kristin and Kyler, cool people from whom I learned a lot, and at the same time welcomed new fellows Bryan Franklin and Ben Constable, an amazing pair of individuals. Finally I would like to thank my players, we experienced highs and lows, both wins and losses that never failed to teach lessons on and off the court.
This year I had the chance to start something that took my coaching to the next level. In April we launched a Wentworth Leadership Development Programme team. It was an amazing opportunity that gave me the chance to teach/coach players that I had previously taught in primary school. One of my former players, Brent, not only played on the LDP team, but also acted as my assistance coach at Assegai. Then there is Nduduzo and his sister Minenhle both of whom I coached in primary school, continue to carry on the family tradition of basketball on the LDP level.
On the primary school level it's been amazing to see the growth of one of my now best players, Marcus. Marcus is a boy growing up without a father, and is known as the child who misbehaves a lot in school. When he first came to practice at the beginning of the year, he was constantly disruptive, not knowing how to use the energy and skill he possesses. By the end of 4th term he was leading the entire team in drills during practice, and his
maturity and dedication have increased greatly. Then there is my daily inspiration Chloe. Chloe is in grade 5, and is technically too young to be part of the PeacePlayers Programme. But she just wouldn't take no for an answer. A little under a year later, she not only has the nicest jump shot on the team, but is able to take charge, encourage, motivate and lead her peers, many of whom are older than her. Finally there's Jade, who as Fellow Bryan Franklin spoke about a few weeks ago, has grown enough to view all races as people. In a quote that comes directly from some of our training in the Anatomy of Peace, "it's not about the colour of a person skin it's about their character'".
When it comes down to it, it's the kids who make this the best job in the world. I'm honoured to be a coach at PPI, where I get to come to work every day and impact people's lives.
"Expecting Peace On this Island One Day"
Today's blog is brought to you by Cetin Pirlanta, our oldest PPI-CY member and Leadership Development Program participant. He shares his 8 years in the program and what he hopes to do with PeacePlayers in the future. He is the son of legendary PeacePlayers coach, Sevki Pirlanta.
Hi everyone…This is the time for me to share some things about myself and PeacePlayers and why I joined PeacePlayers. So first of all, I would like to introduce my self- I am Cetin and I am 18 years old and I have started my college life this year. I am a Cypriot guy that loves his island very much and expecting peace again this island one day. I have been in this program since It was started so I can easily say that I am the oldest player in this program.
First, when I started this program I was an inexperienced small kid and I was worrying about how to get together with Greek-Cypriot people but now I can easily get talk and play basketball with anyone. This is the one of the values that I learned from PeacePlayers. I am practicing in Iskele (Trikomo). This year I started to coach practices to small basketbal players while also playing with the older kids.
Through PeacePlayers I have learnt how to share, trust, cooperate, and respect everyone, creating friendship and peace. PeacePlayers taught us whatever your religion or language you are talking, it doesn't matter. The world is small and there are lots of people so we have to live with peace and love to have a great life with great people. Another point for me is having new friends so I will get know another cultures and their countries. PeacePlayers provides us this easily so every one gets to know each others' cultures from South to North side.
My favorite thing in this program are the Summer Camps. Camps are so joyful and I learn so much from them. At these camps we meet with previous NBA or WNBA players, so this is the biggest adventage for us. By teaching us what they know from their experience and Cypriot coaches teach us many things too. By these camps we will get more experience and meet some new friends. These camps are the reason I met Alexis, a very tall Greek-Cypriot, one my best friend all around the world. We have good conversations and relationship so I can easily trust him with all my heart.
Lastly, I can easily invite everyone to PeacePlayers to have beautiful life and increase your knowledge by great coaches. By the 8 years in this program, from the first year to up now, I became a mature person. I hope that I can become a full time coach for PeacePlayers one day. No life without PeacePlayers-Cyprus. So I want to thank to PPI-Cyprus family to get me this point so I promise that I will improve my self everyday.#itscooltobepeaceplayer as Coach Nicos says!
Our 'Wee' C4Ps
Northern Ireland has seen it's fair share of Champions this year; Rory McIlroy won the PGA Championship, Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlon won gold medals in boxing at the Commonwealth Games and Kelly Gallagher won the gold medal in skiing at the Sochi Paralympics earlier this year. We all have our champions that we look up to, but what better champions to admire than our Junior Champions4Peace (C4P)?
Our Junior C4Ps have been very busy over the past few months, organising fundraisers, trips and playing basketball. The group are currently working on trying to raise money for a trip to Brooklyn, NY in October 2015; "Belfast2Brooklyn 2K15". Through running events such as a Sponsored Onesy Dribble Walk, a Car Wash, Sponsored Shootout as well as our Pie4Peace Challenge, they have raised £1350 so far. The target is £9,000 so we still have a lot of work to do.
Over the next few months the Junior C4Ps will take their learning from the 3 Pillars of Champions4Peace and 10 Champions will travel to Brooklyn to share their knowledge and to learn from their partners at the Necelina McDonald Memorial Foundation. Whilst in Brooklyn, the Champions will run a Game of 3 Halves (GO3H) using Gaelic, rugby and soccer for their partners and support them to run a GO3H event using sports from their community (basketball, baseball and American football). As well as introducing the sports the Champions will share their knowledge of community relations and the part it plays in sport in Northern Ireland. The groups will then discuss their experiences and the similarities and differences between them.
Last weekend, the group discussed why they were part of the group and what they believed a Champion4Peace to be.
Here are some of their answers:
"I'm a C4P because I want to be friends with people from other religions and I would like to be a coach when I'm older. C4P is a programme from PeacePlayers to make the next generation of coaches and to prove to people that Catholics and Protestants can be friends." Ryan McStravick, 12yrs old.
"A Champion4Peace is a person who has an aim to bring peace between religions and cultures, to take away hate and sectarianism from Belfast. I would like to be a coach when I'm older as from a young age PeacePlayers coaches have been my roles models and I think it would be amazing to bring kids together from different communities." Aimee McMinn, 14yrs old.
"We could be the next generation of PeacePlayers coaches and by that I mean we could make a change in Northern Ireland, in both communities by showing that it doesn't matter what religion you are, we're a team" Niamh McNally, 11yrs old.
These young people are the future, future leaders in their community, future coaches for PeacePlayers, future makers of change and bringers of hope. These young people believe in the possibility of peace in Northern Ireland and want to help make it happen. If you would like to help these kids make their way to Brooklyn to spread the hope of Peace, then please head over to our JustGiving page and make a donation: https://www.justgiving.com/PPI-B2B.
If the Players Can Do It, So Can the Crowd
The All-Stars season has officially started! Our joint Palestinian-Israeli teams are challenging the status quo and setting new records by taking their friendships and team spirit into the public sphere by giving all they've got to compete in the Israel Basketball Association's elite youth league. This year, PeacePlayers has six All-Stars teams (including our first boys' team!), and they are off to a great start.
With the cooperation of Hapo'el Jerusalem, a mens basketball club, PeacePlayers engaged some new boys interested in PeacePlayers' mission. The introduction of the Jerusalem Boys All-Stars team has come at an important time because tensions are high in Jerusalem due to the increased violence. We hope all our All-Stars teams rise above the difficulties surrounding them by building strong connections and bonds with their teammates.
Since the start of the All-Stars program in 2010, our teams have come a long way, winning the under-18 championship in their division. The start of the All-Stars initiative was a pivotal and groundbreaking move for this region. By taking the concept of 'twinning' and making it into a full time pursuit, PeacePlayers created the All-Stars team. The organization recognized the youths' need for another step in the direction of building communities, breaking down barriers, and advancing basketball skills. And an integrated team does just that. PeacePlayers—Middle East also has taken into account the limited access to organized sports for young girls. In Israel, only about 25 percent of participants in competitive sport are women, a number lower than the average in both the Western world and the world at large. PPI has been filling the void by giving young women the opportunity to take part in competitive league teams. The All Stars teams practice and play together at least three times a week, making them a close-knit community.
"Most people who saw us didn't understand what we were doing. Their reactions were also different. Sometimes I would hear them praising us for what we are doing and other times I would hear the crowd make racist comments." – Noy, All Stars team member
When the All Stars program began it didn't take too much time for word to get around. Having an integrated team, Palestinian and Israeli, makes these players unique. In fact, for the first time Palestinian girls from East Jerusalem played in the Israel Basketball Association Youth League. For most people not associated with the PeacePlayers community having a mixed team was a bit bizarre. Yet, the players didn't let the audiences' doubts and bewilderment stop them from reaching the top and even expanding. For Noy, who plays on an All Stars team, her favorite part of playing on a mixed league team is showing people what PeacePlayers is all about. Traveling from city to city, gym to gym means that people, who otherwise wouldn't, get to witness what PPI is all about.
The beauty of the All-Stars program is that the power and team spirit isn't only for the team. The crowd gets to witness the harmony and corporation first-hand as well. Fans from both teams watch as their players put aside the conflict and engage in a spirited manner, building true and strong connections. And if the players can do it, so can the crowd.
PPI-SA Fights Off Rain to Host 24th City Wide Tournament
Each year, PeacePlayers International – South Africa holds City Wide Tournaments in both June and November. The June tournament is carried out with the primary focus of bridging divides. Kids play not with the teammates from their school, but instead are split up amongst their peers to play on teams with learners from different communities and backgrounds. November however is reserved for a classic winner takes all event. In this week's blog PPI-SA fellow Bryan Franklin reflects on the 24th City Wide Tournament.
The rain was threatening and the calls and texts were flowing in.
"Is the tournament still on?"
"Are we still playing today?"
"Is it raining in Durban?"
And for the more brief at heart, "City Wide?"
But there was something in the air Saturday. It was an aura of excitement, and on this day the rain knew to stay away. Sure there were a few sprinkles here and there, but the down pour held off, until the last 2 minutes of the last game of the afternoon, providing a closing ceremony of sorts.
PPI-SA's 24th City Wide Tournament was a historic event that for the first time ever saw two teams from outside the PPI programme—NBA Africa and CAST—enter, and a total of eight different communities represented. In addition PPI staff and coaches were assisted by volunteers from We Are Durban throughout the day.
The tournament kicked off bright and early at 8:00AM with a performance from former PPI coach and current rapper/community activist Mhligo. The Primary School teams were then split up into 5 groups of three teams. Each team played each other once with the winner advancing onto a single elimination tournament. Due to some necessary schedule re-structuring because of rain, PPI was forced to cut the field down to four following group play, and launched straight into the semi-finals.
On the girls side, teams from Berea, Carrington, Durban and Sukuma Primary Schools advanced with Berea beating DPS and Carrington beating Sukuma to advance to the finals. As for the boy's side, Addington, Carrington, Durban Primary School, and NBA Africa advanced. Addington took care of DPS in one semi-final, while Carrington squeaked past NBA Africa in the second to advance to the finals.
In the finals, Carrington looked to complete the City Wide sweep for the first time ever, but fell just short. In an epic girls match-up they pulled ahead early and did not relinquish the lead, holding off Berea to win 14-11.
On the boys side they weren't so fortunate. Carrington vs Addington is a rivalry that traces back to the years before basketball was even invented, and one that has often been compared to Bulls-Jazz from the 90's or Heat-Spurs over the last few years. The two schools are separated by a meagre 6 kilometres (3.7 miles), and have consistently been the best teams across the
PPI programme throughout 2014. It was only fitting they would face off for the championship. Addington controlled the first half, jumping out to a commanding lead of 10-2 going into the break. Carrington didn't have an ounce of quit in them however, and eventually narrowed the lead to just 2 points, before falling 12-8.
As a special treat, the two championship teams were congratulated by coaches and players from the KwaZulu Marlins of he Basketball National League. It was a fitting end to a fantastic year for PeacePlayers International – South Africa. Check back over the next few weeks for news on the LDP portion of City Wide as well as reflections from coaches and volunteers.
PPI-SA would like to give special thanks to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and National Lottery for their support of the 24th City Wide Tournament, and continued support PPI-SA's programmes. PPI-SA would also like to thank Coaching for Hope and SAPREF for their support of the Primary School and Professional Development Programme's throughout 2014. It is with the help of these supporters, that PeacePlayers International South Africa is able to bridge divides, change perceptions and develop leaders.
Changing my Perspective in 35 Seconds
This week's blog is written by Toot Imbar, a member of the Leadership Development Program, the Jerusalem All-Stars, who was one of 24 members of the recent delegation to the United States, supported by SportsUnited – The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
I joined PeacePlayers a little over three years ago. Like many, I joined for the basketball and stayed because I loved it. I love going to practices, I love the weekend retreats, I love our joint meals and mostly, I love the people. I stayed because all of these reasons, I participated, I enjoyed, but I never understood the true impact it had on my life until this recent summer and the trip to the U.S that came right after it.
This summer has been tense; I remember the first siren we had in Jerusalem. It was around 8 pm, all of my family was home and we all ran down to the shelter. The protocol states you have to stay in the shelter for at least 10 minutes after the sirens. As we were sitting waiting for the ten minutes to end, I got a text message. The message was from my Palestinian friend, Aysha who lives in Beit Safafa, an Arab village in Jerusalem. She wrote: "Toot, are you and your family doing ok?"
You might think this is just a simple text message. It only takes about 30 seconds to write and another five to send. I think, this simple text message, these 35 seconds, can show just how much PeacePlayers has impacted my life, and many other lives. Through PeacePlayers I learned that there is not one side, or even two sides to this conflict, but many. With PeacePlayers we are creating a new side; a side of understanding, of trust, of compassion, of respect. We are creating a side that emphasizes differences and similarities. It's a side of peace.
I'm not ignorant; I know that things are very complicated, but I also know that it is up to us to make a change. Every time I'm with PeacePlayers I feel like I'm making a change. Whenever our [mixed Palestinian-Israeli] All-Stars team plays a game, or when we visit each other's houses, and even when we simply play basketball, I can feel change.
Toot makes the last second shot for PPI's Under 18 All Stars Team, winning the Israeli National League Championship for the Southern Division:
When we went on a trip to the U.S three weeks ago, I could feel this change during almost every moment. I got to know, and to speak to many people who share the PeacePlayers vision. People were very excited to see us, hear from us and support us. These groups of people inspired me to keep working towards our shared mission. Seeing the dedication of Brendan Tuohey, Chad Ford, and Brian Kriftcher towards a vision taught me how much one can accomplish. So many lives are influenced and changed because of their vision.
But I think the most important thing I learned was something that I've been struggling with for the past few months. It is the fact that I am lucky. I was born to good parents, I have good friends, and I'm in a good school. I always have food on the table, I've never faced real danger, and I was never lacking anything. I am lucky.
During the past few months especially during this summer's events I was struggling with this luck of mine. How come I get to be safe while others are getting killed, or having their houses blown up, or living in shelters? Am I a bad person for being lucky? Should I be ashamed?
During this trip, I think I understood the answer to this question. I'm not a bad person for being lucky. But I have an obligation that comes with this "luck." My obligation is to help people who are less lucky; to help spread this "luck" of mine. And that's what I want to do in life, I don't know how exactly, but I know that by participating in PeacePlayers I've already started to work towards my goal; to make this world, this region a little bit better.
How PeacePlayers International Made Me a Better Person
Today's blog is brought to you by Leadership Development Program participant, Victor Petrov!
Hey guys…This week I just wanted to share with you a few things about myself, tell you about PeacePlayers, and why I love it so much! So my name is Victor "Vic" Petrov, I'm 16 years old, and I'm from Bulgaria. I have been participating in this organization for 3 years now. I'm practicing in Kiti and it is awesome! When I first started at PeacePlayers, I didn't know much about the organization. I joined only for the love of basketball, but now I've learned the real meaning of PeacePlayers, which is respect, team work, friendship, and peace between two different worlds with separate cultures, religions, and ways of life.
I have learned a lot with the help of PeacePlayers International-Cyprus and the support of my coaches and friends. I participated in twinnings and tournaments where I met new people, made new friends, and learned so much from them. At the meetings, we would discuss different themes such as, peace, respect, friendship, and lots of other things that will help us in the future. One great experience I had was when some of us went to Norway. The first time I was there it was a all boys team made up of Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots. We took part in the Norway Basketball Tournament and won the silver medal. The second time, it was a mixture of boys and girls from both sides of the island who went to help coach a basketball camp. It was just an amazing trip!
My favorite thing to do happens at the end of the year when we have a summer camp and some of the program members and
coaches go to the Argos mountains. We participate in a week program and also fun stuff like movie night, disco night, peace building, and story sharing. Another great thing is that every year PeacePlayers lets us meet coaches from America that were in the NBA or WNBA and we learn so much from them. They not only teach us basketball skills, but also some important life lessons!
The reason that I participate in this program and love it so much is because it helps me learn new things while playing my favorite sport. I have made so many new friends, Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, that I can call "brothers" and "sisters". They have taught me so much about their countries and cultures. I even learned a little bit of their languages. One of the most important things I have learned is that every person is the same no matter where they are from. We are humans and we all need the same thing, which is love and respect from each other. So really, without PeacePlayers, I would be a different person. Special thanks to all the PeacePlayers International- Cyprus members and coaches!
An Young Adult Volunteer Shares his PPI-NI Experience!
My name is Will Massey and I am 21 years old from Iowa. I studied Physics and Religion at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. I love dogs, rock n'roll, and the Chicago cubs.
When I tell people in Belfast that I coach basketball in Ballymena on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they almost always say, "Och, I bet you have had a hard time with that Ballymena accent," but to American ears a Belfast accent and a Ballymena accent are not so different especially when coming from a child's mouth.
I came to Northern Ireland with the Young Adult Volunteer Program (YAV) of the Presbyterian
Church U.S.A. YAV sends volunteers all over the world to partner with local organizations engaged in missions. To my delight, I was placed with PeacePlayers, as well as the Whitehouse Presbyterian in Newtownabbey. Four other YAVs are serving in Belfast this year with other congregations and community programs. Reconciliation is one of the key goals of the church, as articulated by the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Peace Players is committed to this ministry, and how they operate really impresses me.
In Ballymena, I coach three twinning sessions, which excites me, although it strains my voice and my patience. At 9-years-old I may have been just as eager to learn basketball as these children, although it is hard to imagine. Our challenges as coaches are to direct this energy towards learning basketball skills and community relations activities, which ask kids to think critically about identity and prejudice. Coming in as an outsider, I am counting on PeacePlayers to provide me with the right questions to ask, and on the kids to be honest in answering. The answers I get are often encouraging and I like to ask my fellow coaches about the responses I get from the kids on the drive home. I am learning a lot through my partnership with PeacePlayers. I hope that I am making a positive contribution to the PeacePlayers mission in Northern Ireland by coaching, playing, and educating.
Aside from my work at PeacePlayers, I spend a great deal of my time with the various ministries of the Whitehouse Presbyterian Church, including Boys' Brigade, Girls' Brigade, Youth Fellowship, and 50+ lunch club.
My PPI-NI experience is more than just about a t-shirt, it is about the impact that I can make in children's lives.
We would like to thank Rev. Doug Baker, who is the Regional Liaison for the Presbyterian Church of USA in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He coordinates the YAV placements in NI and has been responsible for inviting PPI-NI to formally host Will. We previously had a informal relationship with the YAV programme. We met with the group and gave briefings on the works of PPI-NI and we also had another YAV, Patrick Harley, volunteer with us two years ago.
Shaping Brains Through Basketball
Picture this, you have four hours a week to work with fifteen kids. Each kid has it rough; poor socioeconomic backgrounds, their saintly teachers are overloaded with class sizes and work, and their parents (if present) are fighting an uphill battle between finding work and navigating the complex world of adolescence. So we have four hours to combat twelve years of disadvantages. What do you focus on to give them the best possible chance? Catherine Woulfe, who writes for The Listener delivered a pretty compelling answer in her recent article 'The age of opportunity': The exciting discovery of the plasticity of adolescent brains reveals a make-or-break chance to create a happier, healthier and more successful adult. She essentially summarizes the ground breaking work of leading developmental psychologist and Temple University Professor Laurence Steinberg.
When it comes to impacting kids' lives, the rule is, the earlier the better. If you read to your child between the ages of 0-3, that will have a much more profound effect on the child's education than if that was done later in life. In general, that applies to all experiences. As Woulfe puts it "between the ages of zero to three, our brains are exquisitely sensitive to experience. What happens to us during that time has a profound lifetime effect." It's widely known that children who experience abuse at a young age will have a permanent echo of that experience throughout their life. As Dr. Dipesh Navsaria of the University of Wisconsin puts it "If we get the first 1,000 days of a baby's life right, we're really going to save a lot of trouble later on."
As much as Steinberg agrees with this, his research also shows that when children hit adolescence, a similar opportunity arises to deeply impact their futures. With over 40 years of studying tens of thousands of adolescents, Steinberg has developed a new model that suggests adolescence is also a time where the brain is significantly shaped by experiences. If you think of the brain as clay and the hands that shape the clay as the environment, adolescence is the time that the clay is ripe for molding (if you want to know more about the neuroscience behind it, read Woulfe's article or google neuroplasticity). How the brain will be molded at the end of adolescence is a good indicator on the shape it will stay in.
So what needs to happen in order to mold these flexible brains into happy, intelligent, and creative forms? The answer is exceptionally complex and requires master craftspeople from all angles – parents, teachers, learning specialists, and etc. Experts such as Steinberg have been able to flesh out the dominant features in order to give some very clear answers as to where to focus. Steinberg's research reveals that mastering self-control, or in more colloquial terms, "their capacity for self-regulation" is the largest predictor of one's future success.
The capacity for self-regulation is probably the single most important contributor to achievement, mental health and social success. In study after study of adolescents, and in samples of young people ranging from privileged suburban youth to destitute inner city teenagers, those who score high on measures of self-regulation invariably fare best… This makes developing self-regulation the central task of adolescence and the goal that we should be pursuing.
To illustrate this, Steinberg often references a famous study conducted in New Zealand that measured the self control of one thousand children at age three. The researchers followed the individuals for forty years and self control at the age of three strongly predicted their levels of health, wealth, and happiness regardless of socioeconomic background.
Remember that marshmallow test that went viral with those cute kids that were told they can have one
treat now or two in ten minutes when the adult gets back?
Guess what, the kids that showed self control are much more likely to be happier later in life and although the ones that smashed the marshmallow may have been super cute, intervention was definitely good advice.
So how do you teach an adolescence self control?
Steinberg states, "the most important environmental contributor to self-regulation is the family." The people who predominantly shape the environment of the youth are their parents. "Parents practice authoritative parenting. Be warm, be firm, and be supportive."
Research has also shown that Autocratic parents (ones that rule with iron fists) teach obedience. "There's no evidence that it's good for kids. In fact, there's a lot of evidence that it's not good for kids." Permissive parents (ones that get walked over or "just want to see their children happy") tend to raise children that have little understanding of boundaries.
You're probably thinking, that's great but how the heck does that help an organization like PeacePlayers International? People often over simplify it by saying "these kids are missing life skill x, y and z" or "teachers are not being held accountable." When you try and change the course of someone's life, you're fighting years and years of poor development. That's massively difficult to address with a few hours a week of coaching basketball Or even six hours a day of classroom time.
You can definitely provide a strong mentor/support figure in the form of a coach. Especially, if the coach has a
strong understanding of principles such as how to enforce self-control. If the coach is really good they can even create drills that are microcosms of self-control. It's beautiful watching a coach warmly, but firmly, explain to a player why taking that 3 pointer 5 seconds into the shot clock showed poor self-control:
"It was an ambitious shot, but you could have used a lot more self-control. That's what's truly valuable. Think about the other options you had. Sam in the corner had an open 15 footer. The point guard was right behind you and could have organized the team. Did they have a higher chance of creating a better shot for the team?"
Social change is HARD and it requires a reshaping of a youth's environment that is guided by reason and research. Basketball may not be able to change the whole environment, but for four hours a week, it does make a difference.


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Edward S. Hawes, Alice Mary Hawes, and Marion Augusta Hawes; [Holman's Print Shop, Boston]; I.N. Phelps Stokes, New York, 1937
Although this plate desended in the Southworth & Hawes studio, the image is often attributed to Matthew Brady. Nearly identical plates in the New York Historical Society (marked Lawrence" and the Museum of Modern Art (attributed to Brady) support Pfister's (1978) claim that the Metropolitan print may be a copy.Biography: Apolitician with over forty years of service at the state and national level, Henry Clay (1777-1852) was known for his propensity to compromise and his interest in preserving the Union. In 1821, he put forward legislation permitting slavery in Missouri while outlawing it in Louisiana Purchase territory north of Missouri. He argued for an "American System" that would strengthen the economy by tying together the North, South, East, and West through improved infrastructure and tariffs on foreign goods. He served as secretary of state under John Quincy Adams, then forteen years in the U.S. Senate. Clay made four unsuccessful runs for the presidency. In 1850, he outlined another compromise to save the Union: one that reduced the size of slaveholding Texas, admitted California to the Union as a free state, and toughened the Fugitive Slave Law.
© 2000–2014 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.

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Back in my younger days, I used to build models of cars, airplanes and spaceships. I was cursed with the unfortunate combination of not being a very good model builder and being something of a perfectionist. As I examined my overly glued and poorly painted efforts, I would think that if I dabbed on a bit more color here or trimmed some excess glue there it would be perfect. It never was and I was rarely satisfied with my results. If I had just left my imperfections alone, the model probably would have looked just fine. Leaving things well enough alone is a less
Is there a moment in your childhood that you believe had a big impact on your life? I believe one occurred for me when I was in the third grade. I was nominated to be on my school's safety patrol which was both a big honor and a big responsibility. It also meant going on the annual safety patrol trip to Washington DC during my sixth grade year. In my mind, that trip was magical. I'd never been anywhere like it before and I dreamed of seeing the Smithsonian Institute's Air and Space Museum. I was certain my parents would sign the required
Two reviews for you this week. First is a supernatural thriller I didn't have much hope for when I first heard about it, followed by an action flick tinged with sci-fi. One had a budget of less than $2-million, while the other was made for just over $30-million. One has little-known actors while the other has A-list stars. Oddly enough, they're both equally good.
Imagination is an escape for some people. There are stories of prisoners of war who would envision building a lakeside cabin while they were being tortured by their captors to maintain their sanity. Victims of abuse often create fantasy worlds to escape the pain. This week's movie, "Sucker Punch," tells the story of a woman who not only fantasizes about a better life, but her fantasy self also fantasizes. It's layer upon layer of fantasy that could use a healthy dose of reality.
Many times we hear of people (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) who aren't living up to their potential. That usually is code for suspicions that the person in question is either lazy or immature; and usually, those suspicions are correct. Occasionally, there are those few who are neither immature nor lazy, just unable to find the pathway to apply their knowledge and experience to the goal they wish to achieve. In this week's movie, "Limitless," the hero is provided a shortcut to his goal; but that shortcut is loaded with booby traps that could bri
Have you ever questioned everything about your life and world? Have you ever faced a situation that was completely beyond your lifetime of experiences? Most of us haven't. I know I haven't. The closest I have gotten to that situation was when my wife and I moved 500 miles from home to a small town in the Florida Panhandle less than a year after we married. To say the community we moved to was a different world from what we knew is just about right; however, we quickly found our way, made friends, joined a church and settled into a normal life.
Normally in this spot, you'd see my efforts at connecting real life to something I'd seen in the movie I am reviewing. Unfortunately, real life decided to take over and prevent me from seeing a film. A death in the family and all the visiting, viewing and services that entails occupied all my time this weekend. Perhaps I'll be able to see two movies this coming weekend. The updated movie poll contains both last week's and this week's releases and the votes already cast remain. If you already voted, please feel free to vote again. Thank
Rare is the second chance and wouldn't many of us do anything to have a few. A second chance to sink the winning free throw missed in a championship basketball game, to introduce yourself to the one that got away, to look both ways one more time before pulling out in front of that car, to take that big test in college. Many people would like a second chance living their entire life. No one gets that chance, except in the movies. This week, Nicolas Cage tries to make up for being an absent father by saving the life of his granddaughter in "Drive Angry.&rdq
With Stan's Choice winning this week's movie poll, I decided to take a little different approach with my review. Normally when it's my choice, I will pick something that I'm eager to see or believe a true movie fan should see. With the Academy Awards coming up on Sunday, February 27th, I decided to see the last two remaining Best Picture nominated films I had missed when they were in theatres: "Winter's Bone" and "The Kids Are All Right." Using my Netflix membership to full effect, I sat back in the comfort of my
The old saying goes "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" or words to that effect. Of course, if you're feeling the effects of a love lost you'd probably would have preferred to never have loved at all; but, it's the pain of love (and I don't mean that in a whips-and-chains kind of way) that makes the joy of love that much sweeter. In Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet," the doomed pair knows love for only an instant before they take their own lives due to a misunderstanding. In this
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Last update: Monday 4 August 2014 [88 news items]
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Consumer IC supplier Weltrend 4Q12 sales to decrease 5-10%
Nov 27, 15:16
Fourth-quarter revenues at Weltrend Semiconductor are expected to register a 5-10% sequential decrease, as shipments of its core products, including display ICs, motor ICs and MCUs...
MediaTek to ship 20 million smartphone solutions in September, say sources
Sep 25, 01:15
MediaTek is expected to ship 20 million units of smartphone solutions in September, 33% higher than the 15 million units projected by industry watchers previously. Consequently, MediaTek's...
Taiwan consumer IC designers post mixed August results
Sep 18, 11:45
Consumer IC design houses Nuvoton Technology and Sonix Technology saw their August sales slip on month, while Generalplus Technology, Holtek Semiconductor, Feeling Technology and...
Consumer IC designers post mixed July results
Aug 10, 16:02
Consumer IC design houses Generalplus Technology, Holtek Semiconductor, Nuvoton Technology, Princeton Technology, Sonix Technology and Weltrend Semiconductor have reported mixed results...
Consumer IC designers conservative about 3Q12 business
Jul 24, 13:52
Taiwan-based design houses of consumer ICs, including Holtek Semiconductor, Sonix Technology and Weltrend Semiconductor, generally hold a conservative business outlook for the third...
Consumer IC supplier Sonix sees weak 3Q12 sales
Jul 17, 15:16
IC design house Sonix Technology has expressed caution about its sales performance during the third quarter of 2012, due to a slowing in IC orders for notebook webcams and consumer...
Most consumer IC design houses report healthy gains for 2Q12
Jul 11, 12:06
Second-quarter sales performance for most Taiwan-based consumer IC designers has been strong although some vendors have reported a decline in revenues for June, according to industry...
Consumer IC supplier Sonix positive about 2Q12
Jun 19, 01:10
IC design house Sonix Technology has revealed that combined revenues for April and May come close to the total reached in the first quarter of 2012, and expressed optimism about its...
Consumer IC vendors look to 30% sequential sales growth in 2Q12
Jun 12, 09:38
Consumer IC vendors including Nuvoton Technology, Sonix Technology, Generalplus Technology and Holtek Semiconductor all have reported strong sales for May, and industry sources indicated...
Consumer IC designers likely to see 2Q12 sales grow over 20%
Mar 27, 11:57
Taiwan-based consumer IC design specialists including Elan Microelectronics, Generalplus Technology, Holtek Semiconductor, Nuvoton Technology, Sonix Technology and Weltrend Semiconductor...
ALi raises 4Q11 sales forecast
Dec 22, 01:00
Consumer IC design house ALi has revised its guidance for the fourth quarter of 2011 expecting its consolidated revenues to increase 13-17% sequentially. This is a revision from previous...
Consumer IC vendors look to flat performance in 3Q11
Aug 1, 15:55
Although most Taiwan-based consumer IC design houses posted strong revenue gains in the second quarter of 2011 thanks to short lead-time MCU orders amid reports of possible short...
Taiwan IC design houses expect on-month growth in June revenues
May 27, 14:41
Most Taiwan-based IC design houses have reported an improvement of order visibility for the third quarter of 2011 and predicted their revenues will swing back to a growth track due...
Consumer IC designers to post over 20% sequential revenue growth in 2Q11
May 18, 14:59
Most Taiwan-based consumer IC makers, including Sonix Technology, Holtek Semiconductor, Elan Microelectronics and Alpha Microelectronics, are expected to record a 20% sequential growth...
Consumer IC vendor Weltrend to deal out cash dividends NT$0.75 for 2010
Stockwatch - Mar 23, 17:07
Consumer IC design house Weltrend Semiconductor has announced net profits of NT$198.32 million (US$6.71 million) for 2010, increasing 45% from a year earlier. The earnings translated...
Elan, Sonix sales down in February
Mar 7, 11:52
Consumer product IC designers Elan Microelectronics and Sonix Technology both saw revenues decline by a double-digit rate sequentially in February 2011.
Consumer electronics IC suppliers face cost challenges, says iSuppli
Oct 15, 11:56
The consumer electronics market continues to hold tremendous growth potential as it rebounds from the recession, but semiconductor vendors operating in this fragmented space will...
Nuvoton begins trading on TSE mainboard
Stockwatch - Sep 27, 16:14
Nuvoton Technology, a logic IC subsidiary of Winbond Electronics, started trading on the main board of the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) today (September 27). Its share price opened...
Consumer IC design house Sonix looks to declining sales for 3Q10
Newswatch - Sep 1, 14:08
Consumer IC design house Sonic Technology expects its third-quarter revenues to drop slightly from the level recorded in the second quarter due to declining shipments of notebook...
Lead time at 8-inch fabs drops to less than two weeks
Aug 24, 11:54
Lead times at foundries are shrinking, with 8-inch manufacturing falling to less than two weeks compared to over 10 weeks earlier in 2010, according to sources at Taiwan-based IC...
MediaTek handset solution shipments increasing
Aug 20, 12:02
MediaTek has seen shipments of its new generation handset solutions, including MT6253, 6216 and 6268, increasing significantly after the company slashed prices in early July, according...
Greatek expects revenues to peak in September-November period
Aug 5, 15:33
Chip packaging and testing house Greatek Electronics, which mainly focuses on the consumer electronics segment, expects monthly revenues to top NT$10 billion (US$314 million) between...
IC designers look to over 20% order growth from DSC and game console sectors in 3Q10
Jun 24, 13:51
Taiwan-based IC design houses are expected to see orders from the DSC and gaming console sectors increase over 20% sequentially in the third quarter and those from the notebook segment...
Elan reportedly lands touch controller orders from Microsoft IPTV business unit
May 14, 15:27
Consumer IC design houses Elan Microelectronics, Weltrend Semiconductor and Sonix Technology have seen orders for their consumer ICs continue to pour in for the second quarter of...
Elan sees revenues hit record high in April
May 6, 11:16
Consumer IC design house Elan Microelectronics saw its revenues hit a record high of NT$570 million (US$18.1 million) in April, buoyed by shipments of touchscreen controller chips...
ALi reports profit growth for 1Q10; partners with SMiT for HD STB
May 5, 13:59
IC design house ALi has announced a net income of NT$341 million (US$10.8 million), or NT$1.12 per share, on consolidated revenues of NT$1.3 billion for the first quarter of 2010...
Holtek and Elan to see 20-30% sequential revenue growth in 2Q10
May 4, 14:08
Microcontroller unit (MCU) vendors Holtek Semiconductor and Elan Microelectronics are expected to see their revenues grow over 20-30% sequentially in the second quarter of 2010 due...
Consumer IC makers to enjoy double-digit revenue growth in 2Q10
Apr 30, 15:47
Taiwan-based consumer IC makers Sonix Technology, Elan Microelectronics, Sunplus Technology and Holtek Semiconductor are expected to register double-digit sequential growth in second-quarter...
- Commentary: Xiaomi facing challenge to sustain growth
- Digitimes Research: Taiwan LCD driver IC revenues to rise 6% in 2014
- Japan-based Murata sees potential in IoT and wearable industries
- Falling LED bulb prices put pressure on LED driver IC firms
- China IC design houses expand presence in touch IC and fingerprint sensor markets
- Foxconn and Innolux to build 6G LTPS panel plant
- IBM, Cisco leading in smart city technology developments, says Navigant
- Acer unveils Aspire Switch and Iconia tablets
- China market: Online advertising value over CNY43 billion in 3Q14, says Analysys
- China has 1.277 billion mobile phone users in October, says MIIT
- Taiwan market: CHT to expand multimedia on demand services
- China and US boost worldwide industrial semiconductor market in 2014, says IHS
- Asia Neo Tech expects sales growth in 4Q14
- USI raises funds
- Corning announces glass advancements with Gorilla Glass 4
- Touch panel pricing to drop to US$1 per inch
- China Mobile expected to reach 70 million TD-LTE users at end of 2014
- Win Win Precision cooperates with vendor to market HeatCap in Japan
- Acer to launch convertible touch-screen Chromebook in 1H15
- Monocrystalline solar cell prices may fall in 4Q14, say Taiwan makers
- LED chip makers to see drops in 4Q14 shipments
- TSMC to offer InFO packaging for 16nm chips in 2016, says paper
- Digitimes Research: China makers Bitland, BYD to join Chromebook supply chain in 2015
- Medical equipment makers investing in new facilities in Taiwan
- Foxconn to build airborne logistic hub in Zhengzhou
- Releases
- White papers
- Bulletin
- Knowles Corporation Taiwan celebrates its 40th anniversary
- Indium Corporation expands Malaysia technical support, adds team members
- EverFocus announces the release of EMV401/801/1601 hybrid mobile DVR
- Tatung announces commercial availability of standards-based module for EV charging
- Solid State Disk Innovator Emerges from Stealth Mode: Sage Microelectronics' New Technology Breaks 'Terabyte Barrier' with 5TB SSD Controller IC
- AccuTouch Five Wire Resistive Touchscreens
- Getting the Most Out Of Your Next Generation Digital Security Surveillance System
- Embracing the New Generation Intel Atom Family with DDR3 Memory Support
- Got The Message? Ensuring efficient and reliable delivery of content across a mission critical digital signage network
- Emb' Store On-Demand Software Service for Embedded Computing
21-Nov-2014 markets closed
|TSE electronic
|OTC electronic
- Firefox dumps Google for search, signs on with Yahoo (Nov 19) - CNET
- Apple reportedly to push Beats to all iPhones (Nov 19) - BBC News
- Android Lollipop update causes problems (Nov 19) - BBC News
- Toshiba factory shifts from floppy disks to crunchy veggies (Nov 13) - Wall Street Journal
- Yen drops toward 7-year low on Abe poll speculation (Nov 13) - Bloomberg
- BlackBerry and Samsung partner to provide end-to-end security for Android (Nov 13) - Company release
- China, US strike tech trade deal (Nov 12) - EE Times
- eMagin is developing an OLED microdisplay based VR HMD (Nov 11) - OLED-info.com
- Digitimes Research: China makers Bitland, BYD to join Chromebook supply chain in 2015
- Digitimes Research: Samsung, white-box players looking to take over 10-15 million feature phone demand from Microsoft Mobile
- Digitimes Research: Lenovo, Asustek to launch US$149 Chromebook
- Digitimes Research: Skylake processor delay to weaken Windows 10 notebook demand
- Commentary: Calculating the cost of GamerGate, many losers, 2 potential big winners
Epson in push for business-use inkjet printers: Q&A with company executive
Laser printers have been dominating the business-use segment. But Seiko Epson has launched a bid to...
Cree investment is good for Taiwan LED development: Q&A with Lextar chairman David Su
US-based Cree will invest US$83 million to take a 13.32% stake in Taiwan-based Lextar Electronics,...
Karbonn looks to in-house handset production in India: Q&A with executive director
Karbonn, the second-largest India-based handset vendor, is looking into in-house production. Digitimes...
Gaining an advantage in emerging markets: Q&A with India-based handset player Micromax
Sales of handsets in the India market reached 61.07 million units in the first quarter of 2014, with...
- Smartphone and tablet industry: The view from Taiwan - May 2012
Taiwan-based companies have a long and successful history of involvement in the supply chain for mobile devices, which for the purposes of this article consist...
- Taiwan motherboard industry overview - May 2012
The year 2011 saw the motherboard industry reverse its trend of declining shipments year-on-year, to post a slight 0.2% growth. This upturn in fortunes was expected...
- Notebook market overview - Jun 2011
The notebook industry in 2010 experienced several major events that significantly changed the industry's ecosystem for the year and the industry is also believed...
- LCD TV overview - Jun 2011
Growth of the global LCD TV market was not as strong as expected in 2010 as the market continued to feel the aftershocks of the economic recession that had hit...
- 2014 global high brightness LED market, trends and shipment forecast
For the global LED lighting market, the market size will reach US$25.82 billion in 2014 or a market penetration rate of 23.4%. This is attributable to exponential shipment growth for light bulbs, tubes, and directional lamps.
- Greater China touch panel shipment forecast through 2015
This Special Report provides forecasts through 2015 for Greater China touch panel shipments with breakdowns based on technology (glass, film, resistive), application (smartphone, NB and tablet) and by firm.
- 2014 global tablet demand forecast
This report analyzes the main players, their strategies and shipments forecasts for 2014, as well as other factors contributing to either growth or decline in various segments within the tablet market, with a particular focus on Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft, along with whitebox vendors.


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Originally written on Nationals Enquirer | Last updated 11/17/14
(Photo of Ryan Zimmerman signing for P-Nats fans during his rehab start on Wednesday by @JonDMV) Via the Washington Post, Ryan Zimmerman's hammy is all better, he'll return from the DL on Friday in Pittsburgh. But more importantly, how's his throwing? More from the Post after Zim's rehab start for the P-Nats yesterday: Zimmerman appeared uncomfortable throwing across the diamond as he warmed up before innings, skipping a few balls and forcing the first baseman to leap to catch a few others. During game action, though, Zimmerman threw with authority. Here's to hoping his throwing is all better now, too? Befriend Nats Enquirer on Facebook. Follow on Twitter.
Original Story: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepa...
PLAYERS: Ryan Zimmerman
TEAMS: Washington Nationals
TEAMS: Washington Nationals
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The following 23 users match with the requested search. Click on their names to contact them.
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Happy TV New Year
The TV season may officially start in September, but as the calendar turns to 2014, the real on-screen action starts. The broadcast networks, cable channels and Netflix and other emerging distributors have a flood of new and returning programming coming your way in the next three months. They... NBC


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Arizona Cardinals
Drafting Michael Floyd in 2012 proving to be the right call for the Arizona Cardinals
It was nice to see the breakout game Michael Floyd had on Sunday against Jacksonville. He had six catches for 193 yards and a touchdown, good enough for the second 100-yard game of his career. And he is on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards this season.
There was some debate in the 2012 draft as to where Arizona would go with the 13th overall pick. They were desperate for offensive line help and Riley Reiff, David DeCastro, Kevin Zeitler, Cordy Glenn and Jonathan Martin were still in the board when Arizona's pick came up.
But needing to fill a void for a number-two receiver and possible future #1, they selected the Notre Dame standout despite a drunken driving citation that led to a suspension in college.
Arizona had struggled to find a complement to Larry Fitzgerald since Anquan Boldin was traded. Players like Steve Breaston, Early Doucet and Andre Roberts failed to give Arizona a dynamic duo at wideout.
There were some doubts about Floyd last season as to whether he could elevate his game to become a primary receiver. He had a decent season with 45 receptions for 562 yards and two touchdowns.
But this season, Floyd has emerged as a go-to receiver. He has led the Cardinals in receiving yards in four of the last seven games. He leads the team in receiving yards with 657, which is 103 more than Fitzgerald.
He is proving that Arizona made the right call in the 2012 draft and he way very well develop into a future #1.
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- Mark Schlereth- ESPN NFL analyst - Friday November 21ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth breaks down the Cardinals' matchup with Seattle.
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