Growth Catalyzed on Basketball Court
Frankie, Participant of Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge

To most people, basketball is a healthy sport. However, to 17-year-old Frankie, it means much more. Over the past three years, because of the Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge run by the Changing Young Lives Foundation, basketball has been the catalyst to his growth. It has not only helped him to build his physical strength and widen his outlook but has also enabled him to improve his human relations, leaving him with memories of his youth.

Learn More While Still Young
Frankie, now a Form six student, is full of curiosity and desire to learn about the world. He is drawn by things new to him and is interested in nearly everything. He wants to try his hands at all sorts of activities – be it the more sedate activities of speech, chess and music, or the more physical ones like basketball, track and field, and adventure training. "I want to play more and see more while I am young. I don’t want to have regrets when I’m old."

His parents never interfere with his extra-curricular activities. However, Frankie comes from a grassroots family. His father is a driver, his mother a part-time tutor and his brothers still in school. He has to consider the costs when choosing activities. The community centre which provides low-cost activities has thus become a frequent haunt for him.

In 2005, Frankie learned of the Changing Young Lives Foundation’s Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge from social workers. Not only does the programme provide basketball training and games free of charge, but participants also have access to career training, financial counseling, adventure training, social services and awards for continuing studies.

Frankie had been a team captain before when he was in lower forms. However, he was inexperienced then and did not know how to communicate with others. Consequently, he was unable to establish his authority. The team members were undisciplined and did not listen to him. His team was even disqualified from a tournament for turning up late for a game. It was to challenge himself that Frankie again took up the responsibility of team captain.

Looking back over the past two years, Frankie sees increasing understanding with his teammates. He thinks participation in the various activities of Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge has improved his communication skills and strengthened his self-confidence and courage, making him a more effective team captain. "I used to just feel helpless when team members did not turn up on time for practice. Now I build team spirit by exhorting them and encouraging them at the same time."

Job Placement Widens Vision
Frankie’s world used to be filled with studying and sports only, leaving little room for social life. "The program has given me opportunity to train in hotels, serve the elderly as a volunteer and undergo adventure training. It has really opened my eyes."

For example, when training at a hotel, he learned to be extra careful as a bellboy after discovering that Japanese guests do not like to have strangers touch their luggage. He also learned to speak skillfully to avoid complaints. Such valuable experiences not only help him to run his basketball team but also teach him how to conduct himself and treat other people. He has found from his hotel training that he really enjoys communicating and interacting with people. Therefore, he is hoping to become a social worker or a physical education teacher.

Even the people around Frankie can see the change in him. Jeffery, Programme Officer of Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge, remarked, "Frankie was not very keen the first year he joined. He refused to attend some employment talks which he thought were boring. However, he became clearly more active on entering the third year and he has gotten more and more involved. He is enthusiastic in joining all kinds of activities, including lectures that used to be boring to him. He is often after me for more activities to take part in. He even reaches out for opportunities for his schoolmates and friends to take part."

Learning from Failure
Participation in Slam Dunk Basketball Challenge has given Frankie many unforgettable memories. "The most unforgettable memory began in my second year with the program. Our team came second in a tournament, having lost the final game due to not taking our opponents seriously. After reviewing our defeat, we encouraged each other and continued to train hard. This year, we won the championship. This has taught me the importance of learning from our failure. A single failure may lead to countless future successes."

Another big satisfaction to Frankie was winning a Dream Workshop subsidy to take a study course of his choice. Last year, as the HKCEE was approaching, Frankie took a course to improve his memory. The course was so helpful to revision that he had no trouble entering Form six. This year, he took guitar lessons in the hope of discovering his musical talents.

"The tuition for the two courses comes to almost $6,000. Frankly speaking, if not for the subsidies, my family couldn’t possibly afford for me to take them." Frankie also knows how to make the best of his resources – he passes his new musical knowledge to his younger brother, thus enriching their conversation topics.

Youngsters are not necessarily nurtured with tomes of books. A great deal can be achieved so long as there are suitable tools or methods – even a basketball can work wonders.

Excerpted from《WiseGiving 心．思．量》published by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.

To read the full story, please visit http://www.wisegiving.org.hk/en/ebook.aspx