40 Wellington schools and 5000 children across Wellington are learning life skills through basketball, in a programme proudly supported by HELL.
Capital Basketball began its Kiwi Hoops initiative in September 2018. Working in low-decile schools across the Wellington region, ex-Saints player Damien Ekenasio and Scott Richarson teach kids how to play basketball while equipping them with skills they can use on and off the court.
HELL is supplying ten portable
hoops to Wellington schools, removing barriers for students to play the game.
Holy Family School in Porirua (pictured) have two of the hoops in use at the
school, enabling children from Year One to Year Eight to play basketball.
Damien Ekenasio, GM of Capital Basketball, says it’s about more than basketball.
“Whenever our coaches are on the court with the kids, we’re
teaching them life skills, helping them develop both verbal and non-verbal
communication, and connecting them, their parents and the wider community - all
through a game we love,” Damien Ekenasio.
Ben Cumming, HELL’s GM says it’s incredibly rewarding to see the benefits the hoops have in the broader community.
Through a simple game of basketball, children in some of our struggling communities have new opportunities to grow
“We’ve always been big fans of the Saints and Capital Basketball, and the work they do in Wellington - they have a great philosophy of nurturing the next generation which we are incredibly happy to support,” says Ben Cumming.
Hoops have recently gone to Avalon and Rata St Schools. Capital Basketball spends time coaching children across the Capital region including Porirua, Hutt Valley, Kapiti and Wairarapa. You can follow their amazing work here.