H4H’s very own All Star Thabo Maratola was invited this month by the US Embassy to participate in the US State Department’s organized sports program for South African basketball coaches! The program will take place from March 8th-18th during the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. This program will include discussions and workshops on training, nutrition, fitness, life skills, conflict resolution, and disability sports. It aims to provide the coaches with exposure to some of our country’s unique perspectives on sports. Thabo will also be able toexplore some of the U.S. and visit with counterpart in the basketball world. Congrats, Thabo! We look forward to welcoming you to the U.S.!

Kita was able to relay how H4H programs provide safe spaces, educational learning, and health education and services that better participant educaiton as a whole. Further, he communicated that H4H efforts can be positively linked to the decrease in criminal behavior within each of our communities!

Former news anchor and current media strategist San Reddy interviews Tony Blair at the Beyond Sport Summit

These conferences included: The Nike SSCN (Sport for Social Change Network), the Adidas Exchange Program, the International Sport and Development Conference. . .all of which were well positioned around the Beyond Sport Summit. It was truly inspiring to hear the up-close words of inspirational figures like Desmond Tutu and Tony Blair, to sport stars like Mike Richter, Michael Johnson and Oscar Pistorius, to name drop just a few!  The field is going way beyond sport, integrating shared values, creating social innovation, setting new standards for corporate involvement and philanthropy, and connecting those who are creating positive change through sport.

It was unbelievable to be immersed with so many amazing delegates, academics, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from 130 countries. Across the world so much is being done to excite, educate, unite and create leaders through sports, from girls boxing to surfing, yoga, art and a school using skateboarding in Kabul.  At H4H, we are proud to be making a long positive impact in the lives of youth, their families and communities through the hard work and dedication of our staff in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and with the continued support from champions around the globe.

We thank all our friends, sponsors, and partners and look forward to a successful 2012!

Mark Crandall interviews Ms. Tanya Sibanda from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe:

Tanya studied nursing and loves working with children and public health and feels she makes a positive impression as a real role model and responsible adult working as a program officer with Grassroots Soccer. Her position involves budgeting and engaging the community, identifying risks, and using peer education and sports, because she says, “sport is a brilliant way to help youth make good decisions.” She also likes chilling with friends and braii’ing (around a Weber grill, probably cooking meat), cheering on the Highlanders or Arsenal, but is an admitted lover of basketball! See you on a court or for a braii in Zimbabwe soon!

Prior to the Tournament though, FIBA Africa conducted a coaching clinic for regional and international coaches, which took place between October 31st until  November 7th.

In addition to the first coaching clinic, Sandstorm ran a players’ clinic, which ran from November 28th  up to the 1st of December, and was hosted and conducted by H4H’s own coaching sensation Thierry ‘Kita’ Matungulu, the pre-season coach for the Boston Celtics! This clinic taught them not only about basketball fundamentals and drills, but it also provided the players with the opportuity to familiarize and acclimatize themselves to the harsh climactic conditions of Namibia.

IIncorporated with the coaching clinic was a life skills clinic for the players, a woman’s clinic (woman empowerment) and the junior clinic. H4H’s Strike Team, All Star Thabo Marotola and Shooting Touch Partner and H4H Champion Leah Westbrooks, was there to deliver our Skills 4 Life curriculum and even integrated some of our signature FUNdamentals!

Then one afternoon a lady called on behalf of Bon Marche, a local and leading Supermarket, and said they were keen on helping out a few schools with food, water, fruits, caps and tees.  This was clearly the best news of the month judging by the excitement that generated in the office. Bon Marche helped us to break new ground and in the following days a company called Well Pure gave us water for all 500 participants and officials. Then the marketing team brought in more tee shirts, pens and rulers.

From that time on the tournament was set. To build hype we involved our local media. They really find Hoops 4 Hope programs worthwhile. A couple of articles came out in the local papers and our TV previewed the games.

Yoni Marmostein from Hoops 4 Hope Canada and Lala Ketelo’s (S. Africa) visit to Hoops 4 Hope Zimbabwe was timely. We built our cause around H4H, the kids, and the two of them. On the day of the tourney 26 Schools supported us by coming. We used two venues: Queen Elizabeth School ( named after the Queen of England) and Girls High School and the two venues provided a total of 4 courts. 480 kids took part under the close watch of more than 90 Volunteers that included H4H All Stars. It was a great tournament that ran on time and was extensively covered by our local media. Our important stake holders came and witnessed the event. The kids had so much fun! Almost every kid took something home no matter how small it might have been. Some kids won games. Some won lessons. Some kids may have won both games and lessons, well and good. Importantly, all won by merely participating!

November the 25th’s proceedings justified our decision to go on with the tournament. It was one of those events that reminded our All Stars of the importance of their contribution to society. H4H Harare finished the day a winner too! We were all revived and re- energized . Mark(Crandall) was overjoyed at the sight of us here in Harare, learning how to take our first baby step towards sustainability.

Finn, pictured above, holding Shaq's shoes!

Finn Li and his family were part of our Annual H4H Benefit this summer in the Hamptons. There, at the silent auction, he purchased a pair of Air Jordan 8 (VIII) Retro PE – Sugar Ray Allen (Black / Stealth – Clover) of which only about 24 pairs were released. The kicks are a black and green scheme to match the Boston Celtic’s jersey, with “Sugar Ray” stitched onto the shoe.”

These sneakers were a gift by Ray to H4H and South Africa Director Kita ‘Thierry’ Matungulu, who has become a multi-year guest Ubuntu coach and friend of the team. Finn, being a social entrepreneur, bought them at our benefit for $275, but knew they were worth much more, so he and his dad put them on eBay and they reached the bar of $970!!!!

Finn is a long time H4H MVP, so it was a no-brainer to split the profit with his friends in Zimbabwe who will use this generous act of Ubuntu to help hold their Best of Best tournaments at the end of the year!

Thanks Finn,

You’ve definitely got Ubuntu!