•NBA FIT Camps return to host the second consecutive year of basketball training camps in Three Chinese Cities to Promote Basketball Instructions and Life Skills
•To provide youths from the Sichuan disaster hit area an opportunity to experience Sportsmanship
(BEIJING, CHINA, July 24, 2008) The Li Ka-shing Foundation (LKSF), the Lao Niu Foundation (LNF) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) return today to host the 2008 NBA FIT Camps, the popular basketball training camps now in its second consecutive year.
Last year’s coach NBA legend Glen Rice will return to host the NBA FIT Camps, imparting valuable basketball instructions. The camps will take place in three cities, with the first camp tipping off at Shantou University on July 24-25. The second camp will be held on July 27-28 in Xi’an, and the program will wrap up with the Jinan camp on July 30-31.
The camps will provide 240 kids aged 12-18 with a chance to receive basketball instructions and to learn about fitness, nutrition, healthy living, teamwork, English sports terminology from NBA legend and professional coaches in an all-round experience.
The LKSF and the LNF are both committed to a long-term social responsibility initiatives; together they aspire to achieve this by funding a court donation in the Sichuan disaster hit area along with the NBA after the completion of the camp. Furthermore, the foundations will also invite kids from the Sichuan area to attend NBA China Games 2008 in October in an attempt to give the kids a sense of hope through basketball. The three institutions drive home the value of sportsmanship to encourage youths to move forward bravely, and to try to heal wounds afflicted by the earthquake. At the same time, the organizations aim to cultivate a sense of positive attitude towards life and a sense of social responsibility.
“The 2008 Beijing Olympics has created a huge passion for sports and exercise among the masses,” said Mr. Zhang Jingyuan of the Li Ka-shing Foundation. “We hope that the NBA Fit Camps will not only encourage teenagers to be more conscious about healthy living habits, but also teach them the importance of sportsmanship and leadership both on and off the court. This is certainly one of the Li Ka-shing Foundation’s long-terms goals. We are very happy to work with the NBA again, to bring the best of international basketball training to youth in China, and we hope to continue to roll out similar programs all over China, allowing even more people to have the same opportunity and able to enjoy the sport of basketball.”
“Basketball has no boundaries of nationality or ethnicity, it is a universal language,” said Mr. Lei Yongsheng, General Secretary of Lao Niu Foundation. “I am excited to see how this program could help change the attitude that these youths have towards life and society. I hope this experience will leave a positive impression in their development and inspire them to greater excellence in their lives.”
“NBA FIT Camps is an excellent opportunity to provide young people in China a chance to experience authentic NBA basketball training,” said Mr. David Yang, Vice President, NBA China. “We are very happy about bringing hoops-loving youths from the Sichuan affected area to watch the most exciting basketball game brought by our players at NBA China Games. Compared to kids living in other cities, the children of Sichuan require extra attention. This is particularly true in terms of their psychological health, which needs the support of the whole society. I hope the high-level basketball competition will bring them a sense of resilience through the power of sports,” added Yang.