Healthy Communities • Y Stories • YMCA Health and Fitness • YMCA Youth Programs
Basketball and Belonging
16 June 2016 - by Talía Noya
Running across the court, he dribbles, cuts right, and shoots – everyone cheers. This isn’t the NBA finals but drop-in basketball at Mississauga YMCA.
Basketball has created a feeling of community for many – inter-generational games, peer-to-peer coaching, and friendly connections take place every day. Ed, a father of three, used basketball as a way to impart his values and connect with his children. Never did he imagine he would inspire countless youth, starting with his adopted son Jason.
When Jason first arrived in Canada from the Philippines, Ed wanted to help him integrate by immersing him in a friendly and diverse environment.
Ed trained Jason every Sunday and had him participate in adult basketball games. His commitment to teaching his son a new sport sparked a shift at the gym and soon parents began bringing their children to pick-up basketball games. Without realizing it, Ed had set a new community in motion for Jason.
Nowadays, Ed, known to many as ‘Coach’, continues the tradition with his younger children, Malcolm and Shyan. Inter-generational games are now common at the Mississauga YMCA. Kids and adults of all backgrounds look forward to learning from each other.
Not only has Ed built special bonds with his kids, he has also been able to teach them some valuable lessons. Thanks to basketball, Jason and his siblings understand the importance of connecting with others and lending a helping hand. Jason plans to become a police officer for that very reason. He hopes to look after others and build a safe community.
Recently, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship released a report highlighting how sports foster integration of new citizens in Canada. Sports are a great venue for new Canadians to engage with others and learn about local culture. In this case, basketball was the catalyst needed to take Jason from feelings of isolation to a strong sense of belonging. Apart from building stamina, coordination and agility, basketball also teaches players about leadership, teamwork and camaraderie.
At the YMCA, participatory sports offer a level playing field where everyone has the chance to contribute, learn and grow. The variety of sport programs are free of barriers to access and have a focus on skill development, establishing communication with others, increasing self-esteem and most importantly having fun!
[mks_pullquote align="left" width="600" size="18" bg_color="#fff" txt_color="#000"]See Ed, Malcolm and Shyan in action in YMCA Canada's It Starts Here campaign video![/mks_pullquote]
Basketball has created a feeling of community for many – inter-generational games, peer-to-peer coaching, and friendly connections take place every day. Ed, a father of three, used basketball as a way to impart his values and connect with his children. Never did he imagine he would inspire countless youth, starting with his adopted son Jason.
Finding his Footing
When Jason first arrived in Canada from the Philippines, Ed wanted to help him integrate by immersing him in a friendly and diverse environment.
I was looking for a place where we could interact with each other and where he could interact with other people from different communities,” explains Ed. “Any time of day, you can come to the YMCA and see all these different cultures. Everyone here is talking, laughing, joking, and playing.”
Ed trained Jason every Sunday and had him participate in adult basketball games. His commitment to teaching his son a new sport sparked a shift at the gym and soon parents began bringing their children to pick-up basketball games. Without realizing it, Ed had set a new community in motion for Jason.
Building Bonds
Nowadays, Ed, known to many as ‘Coach’, continues the tradition with his younger children, Malcolm and Shyan. Inter-generational games are now common at the Mississauga YMCA. Kids and adults of all backgrounds look forward to learning from each other.The Y provided an environment that encouraged a sense of community,” remarks Ed. “It allowed me to give back to the community and develop my relationship with my son into something more substantial. This is how we became friends.”
Not only has Ed built special bonds with his kids, he has also been able to teach them some valuable lessons. Thanks to basketball, Jason and his siblings understand the importance of connecting with others and lending a helping hand. Jason plans to become a police officer for that very reason. He hopes to look after others and build a safe community.
Sport and Belonging
Recently, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship released a report highlighting how sports foster integration of new citizens in Canada. Sports are a great venue for new Canadians to engage with others and learn about local culture. In this case, basketball was the catalyst needed to take Jason from feelings of isolation to a strong sense of belonging. Apart from building stamina, coordination and agility, basketball also teaches players about leadership, teamwork and camaraderie.
At the YMCA, participatory sports offer a level playing field where everyone has the chance to contribute, learn and grow. The variety of sport programs are free of barriers to access and have a focus on skill development, establishing communication with others, increasing self-esteem and most importantly having fun![mks_pullquote align="left" width="600" size="18" bg_color="#fff" txt_color="#000"]See Ed, Malcolm and Shyan in action in YMCA Canada's It Starts Here campaign video![/mks_pullquote]
