Tag Archives: Brendan Tuohey

by | March 25, 2013 · 12:31 pm

PeacePlayers Holds March Madness Party for Peace

Over 170 people celebrated the beginning of March Madness at the PeacePlayers Party for Peace

Over 170 people celebrated the beginning of March Madness at the PeacePlayers Party for Peace

PeacePlayers kicked off the start of the men’s NCAA tournament on Thursday with its 3rd annual “Party for Peace,” an event to support PeacePlayers International. A crowd of around 170 people gathered at Capitale on K St  in Washington D.C. to celebrate PeacePlayers’ work around the globe and to watch the first round NCAA hoops. Thanks to everyone’s generous support, we raised over $25,000 to support PPI’s work around the world.

The spacious and decorative space was adorned with pictures of PPI participants from South Africa, Cyprus, the Middle East and Northern Ireland, reminders of the great work PPI is doing and the children who are champions for peace around the world.

When they weren’t tuned in to the games, guests bid on silent auction items like an autographed John Wall shoe, Nationals and Orioles tickets and a custom-made suit, all generously donated by the event’s host committee. Even if they didn’t win big at the auction, each guest got to go home with a PPI souvenir pen, complete with a mini basketball on top.

Former PPI Fellows, Michael Vaughan Cherubin and Rory O'Neil, talk about PPI's impact on the children

Former PPI Fellows, Michael Vaughan Cherubin and Rory O’Neil, talk about PPI’s impact on the children

PPI founder and Executive Director, Brendan Tuohey, spoke during the festivities, thanking everyone for being there and updating them on the work PPI is doing. He noted that while President Obama was just in Israel calling for peace, boys and girls of the PPI – Middle East program were demonstrating how peace is possible by playing together and winning in Israel’s top basketball league.

The PeacePlayers family would like to send out a big thank you to everyone who came out on Thursday and to all of our supporters! And to all of the PeacePlayers in the New York City area, please join us for our Dropping Dimes for Peace Party to watch the NCAA men’s championship game at Hill Country BBQ on April 8 for a chance to show your support for PPI.

Click here for all the photos from the event.

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by | February 18, 2013 · 4:19 pm

PPI Hosts International Gathering in Washington, DC

The group poses with PPI Chair Emiruts Ron Shapiro on the final day of the Indaba

The group poses with PPI Chair Emeritus Ron Shapiro on the final day of the Indaba

An Indaba is defined as a council at which indigenous peoples of southern Africa meet to discuss some important question. For PeacePlayers International, an Indaba is a gathering of our staff from our sites in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Cyprus and the Middle East. This year, each site sent two representatives to Washington, DC for a week of learning, bonding and strategizing.

Thanasis (PPI-CY) demonstrating how leaders are not 'born'

Thanasis (PPI-CY) demonstrating how leaders are not ‘born’

While the DC staff hosted the Indaba, everyone served both as a participant and a leader during the course of the week. Day 1 focused on getting to know each other better personally. Day 2 focused on getting to know what each site does best. On days 3 and 4 participants delved deeper into strategy – with Day 3 spent looking at PPI’s logical framework, solidifying our outcomes, how we go about achieving them, and how we ultimately measure them. Day 4 was spent looking forward at PPI’s strategic plan in a workshop facilitated by Martina Martin, CAO at United Way of Central Maryland, and attended by PPI Board Members, Nicole Elkon, Jim Lambright, Brian Kriftcher and John Vaske.

Gareth Harper and Marina Vasilara during a role play with Sports Leadership Challenge Academy

Gareth Harper and Marina Vasilara during a role play with Sports Leadership Challenge Academy

During the Indaba participants spent many hours discussing PPI’s operations around the world and how we can make them better. To help with this, participants met with leaders from other organizations who generously shared their knowledge with the group. Amy Black, Vice President of Growth Strategy and Development for Teach for All, discussed her organization’s growth model and the strategies they implement when opening new sites around the world. The team participated in a Leadership Style Workshop, led by Jeremy Edwards, Executive Director, SportsChallenge Leadership Academy. Co-Founder and CEO of Love Futbol, Drew Chafetz, came in to discuss how his organization is also making an impact using sport. On the final day the group met with Partners for the Americas, which administers a program called A Ganar that uses sports for economic empowerment in Latin America, and participated in a Fundraising and Development panel discussion on with Rebecca Milner, VP of Institutional Advice at International Medical, and Kathleen Zeifang, Director of Principal Gifts at Catholic University.

Coaching in D.C with Tony McGaharan (PPI-NI) and Debbie van der Heever (PPI-SA)

Coaching in D.C with Tony McGaharan (PPI-NI) and Debbie van der Heever (PPI-SA)

But the week was not all meetings. In the afternoons, the PPI staff had an opportunity to bond during some fun social activities that included a fun scavenger hunt at the American History Museum, an NBA game between the Wizards and the Knicks (for some it was their first time at a NBA game!), a high school basketball game between Bishop O’Connell and Gonzaga, a practice led by Brendan Tuohey for a team of 13-U girls (Brendan’s daughter, Anna, plays on the team), and a youth basketball clinic for inner city kids led by Sean Tuohey at the Trinidad Recreation Center.

The week concluded with a morning conversation between all the PPI Managing Directors and by PPI Chair Emeritus and Sports Agent Ron Shapiro. Over 50 guests gathered in downtown DC to hear stories, experiences and perspectives on PPI’s programming and its impact around the world. While it was sad to see everyone depart back to their home countries  everyone was left with a renewed sense of inspiration to keep working towards our goal of peace. After returning home, PPI – ME Operations Manager, Anat Hershkovich, wrote:

“After settling back in Israel and to the office I want to thank you! This week was very significant for me and helped me to see more deeply and more broadly what we are doing here and what are our goals. Meeting you, spending time with you, feeling the charming energies this week filled me with motivation and desire to act and create a healthier, more respectful environment. I think that each of you is a very special person and I’m so happy I got to know people who actually work to improve the world. I cannot wait to continue our joint efforts together, working across continents through education, sports and lots of love.”

The 2013 PPI Indaba participants getting ready for their scavenger hunt at the American History museum

The 2013 PPI Indaba participants getting ready for their scavenger hunt at the American History museum

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by | December 3, 2012 · 2:24 pm

PPI Holds DC Fundraiser, Raises $40,000

Joe Lockhart (left) with Brendan Tuohey at the PPI Fundraiser (photo credit: revamp.com)

Joe Lockhart (left) with Brendan Tuohey at the PPI Fundraiser (photo credit: revamp.com)

On Tuesday, November 27, former White House Press Secretary and PPI Board Member, Joe Lockhart, hosted a fundraiser for PeacePlayers inside his Dupont Circle home. The evening was a great success, and with Lockhart generously agreeing to match all gifts, PeacePlayers collected over $40,000. Much of the excitement in the air can be credited to the night’s hosts who, in addition to Lockhart, included Marc Adelman, Mike Feldman, Peter Hutchins, Joel Johnson, Sara Latham, Mike McCurry, Jake Siewert, Alex Slater, Mary Streett, Kimball Stroud, Jennifer Swanson, and Brian Wolff. Also in the room were PPI staff members, including PPI’s newest addition, Jamie Walsh, who left for Israel just two days later to begin her work as an International Fellow for PPI – ME.

PPI Staff, including newest member, Jamie Walsh(left) at the Fundraiser

PPI Staff, including newest member, Jamie Walsh(left) at the Fundraiser

It was great to see so many people, many who had never heard of PeacePlayers before, get excited about the work PPI does around the world. At one point Lockhart was joined by PPI Executive Director, Brendan Tuohey, to thank everyone who came. Brendan spoke about how just in the past week, during the violence between Israel and Gaza, PPI-ME’s young leaders, Arabs and Jews, were making the decision to continue playing together despite extreme circumstances. PPI has done so much since its inception 11 years ago, but there is so much work to be done, and now is the time to help the 1,000s of youth in PPI programs around the world achieve their goals and help us all believe in a more peaceful future.

Thanks to Joe and all of PPI supporters, we couldn’t do it without you! 

To see more pictures check out REVAMP.com.

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by | October 15, 2012 · 9:07 am

Umuntu, Umuntu Ngabantu – A Journey from South Africa to the USA

Two weeks ago former coach and PPI success story, Lesego Andrew Goba, stopped by the DC office. For many of us, it was our first opportunity to meet Goba and hear his incredible journey from South Africa to the USA.

Lesego Andrew Goba playing in his final year at Stony Brook University

On the outskirts of Durban is Inanda, a rural village not unlike many villages in South Africa. Although most houses had no running water, electricity or even telephones, Goba viewed his rural upbringing as a positive. “Scarcity of resources taught me to be grateful for what I had; and inspired me to pursue that which I did not have, fearlessly, because I had nothing to lose.”

Goba (upper middle) with his cousins near his home in Inanda

By age 8 Goba would go out by himself to the city or the beach, teaching himself to be independent and solve his own problems, and every Sunday morning at 7am he and his friends would walk 45 minutes to the only basketball court around and play pickup until the mid-day sun forced them to stop. During the week Goba would commute 1 hour each way to his school in Northwood, dreaming of a day when basketball would take him to a better life.

Goba first got interested in basketball as a young kid while watching NBA Inside Stuff with Ahmad Rashaad on one of the only three TV channels he had, but it wasn’t until the basketball coach at Durban High School (DHS), Craig Gilchrist, recruited him to play that his dreams started to become a reality. At DHS Goba got his first taste of organized basketball and he quickly excelled, helped in part to his recent growth spurt that left him towering over his peers.

“I remember the day, the time, even the street corner, where I met the man who would change my life.”

In 2003, during his final year at DHS, Goba was stopped at the corner of Musgrave and Essenwood, by PPI cofounder, Sean Tuohey. After recently starting PPI in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sean was in South Africa to start a program in Durban. Sean talked about PPI for almost an hour, and even though Goba didn’t really understand what Sean was saying, Goba agreed to join his vision and begin coaching for PPI.

Goba (right) as a PPI coach on a leadership retreat in Durban

The two quickly built up a close relationship, and in April of 2005, after 2 years of coaching around Durban for PPI, Sean surprised Goba again, this time handing him an address in New York and saying that he would be flying there in a few weeks. As usual, Goba didn’t understand what Sean was talking about. The address turned out to belong to Sean’s younger brother, and the plan was to get Goba to the USA so that he could show off his skills to some college recruits. Goba was directed to take the subway after arriving in JFK, which was absolutely foreign to him. He recalls that when he got to JFK, he boycotted Sean’s mission, and just went with the first guy that said “taxi!”

One month later Goba was playing in an AAU tournament in Washington DC. There he met the head coach of the Stony Brook basketball team, Steve Pikiell, who would help Goba get into Stony Brook on an athletic scholarship. “It was like winning the lotto, given where I came from. I wasn’t going to mess this up.”

But the adjustment from South Africa to New York wasn’t easy. On the first day of basketball practice it was raining outside and Goba assumed that meant practice was cancelled, after all every practice he had ever been to had depended on the weather. Only 30 minutes before did it click that his new team practiced indoors. Goba sprinted to practice, barely arriving in time.

Goba with Coach Pikiell (right) and Mentor Randall Susman (left)

The first practice at the DI level was hardest of his life. For Goba, it was like going straight from high school to the NBA. By now Goba was 6’7” and a mere 185 pounds, much lighter than most of the centers that he had to match up with. But despite his early challenges, Goba succeeded on and off the court. He decided to pursue a career in medicine, graduating in 4 years with a BS in Public Health. During that time Goba became a team captain, won Scholar Athlete of the Year, and during his final home game, Stony Brook Men’s Basketball won their first-ever America East Regular-Season Championship.

After graduating Goba got a second BS in nursing and has recently begun working at the Stony Brook Medical Hospital in the Psychiatric Department. He now aspires to continue his education as a psychiatric nurse practitioner (masters level), and get his doctorate. “My education was the paved road that I could now walk on. I had to maximize the opportunity.”

“I believe that we are blessed so we too can be a blessing to others.”

Goba with PPI Cofounder and Executive Director Brendan Tuohey

Goba goes back to Durban every year to see his family, but he plans on staying in the USA to master his craft so that one day he can return home and give something special and of high quality back to his community. In the long term Goba wants to teach kids how to realize their potential, use the natural skills they acquire from living in poverty/dire circumstances to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to them, and thus improve their quality of life. “This is what Sean Tuohey essentially did for me, and in compliments of him and PPI, this is what I want to essentially do for others.”

As he reflects on his 7-year journey, Goba realizes that it all started as a dream, a vision, a desire, and that one man, one moment, changed the course of his life. Goba believes that from that day at the corner of Essenwood and Musgrave, his success has been profoundly and fundamentally based on an ancient Zulu Proverb: “umuntu, umuntu ngabantu,” which means “someone, is someone, because of someone/some people.”

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by | July 19, 2012 · 2:18 pm

Chairman Emeritus Ron Shapiro Visits PPI-ME

Today on the blog, PPI’s Board Chair Emeritus, Ron Shapiro, shares his experiences from his trip to PPI-ME earlier this month.

Why did you go to Israel and the West Bank with PeacePlayers International?

Nearly ten years ago, a group of young men from what is now called PeacePlayers International visited my office and asked if I would join their Board and help them with fundraising. I initially resisted, but they and their cause were so persuasive that within six weeks I was a member of their Board.

Within a year, I agreed to be the Chair of their Board for one year on an “interim” basis. Somehow that one year became five years. During that period, I saw videos and heard stories of children in areas of conflict like Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Israel who, with the help of PPI, were building bridges and inspiring hope. I felt the power of the work we were doing. Yet despite invitations, I did not make any site visits, because of what I misperceived as an overwhelming professional and personal schedule. Although my involvement continued when I stepped down as Chair and assumed the role of Chairman Emeritus, I still had not interacted with the kids and the people of PeacePlayers working in the field.

Thankfully Brendan Tuohey is a persistent guy. As a result of his persistence, I ultimately agreed to make a site visit in July 2012. I never expected, at this stage in my life and after three other trips to Israel, to have a transformative life experience while visiting the PeacePlayers team and children in Israel and the West Bank. I am so glad that I chose to share that experience with my granddaughter, Kate, who recently celebrated her bat mitzvah; my daughter, Laura; my son, John (Herb) Beatson; and my business partner, Michael Maas; and that I was able to have the opportunity to travel with Brian Ross, Ann Curry and their children, Walker and Mckenzie; Irina Pavlova; Leslie and Joe Schaller; Brian Kriftcher; Amy Selco; and of course, Anna and her father, Brendan Tuohey.

Ron Shapiro, Executive Director Brendan Tuohey, and and PPI – ME Basketball Operations Manager Vito Gilic connect at PPI-ME

How did you spend your time?

Aside from spending 24 hours in airplanes (and I might add meeting a new friend, Joey Low, on my journey over, who accepted my invitation to join us on a visit to our program on a kibbutz in Sdot Yam, and after the visit was moved to support PPI going forward), we would rise early and retire late so that we could maximize our exposure to some sites, but more importantly to the people and the program. From the very moment we arrived (when we were graciously hosted by the parents of one of the leaders of the PPI M.E. team, Samer Elayan, for dinner in the Arab village of Bet Safafa), to being given a geopolitical tour of East Jerusalem and part of the West Bank, to visiting the religious sites (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim) in the Old City, to the Foreign Ministry in Ramallah, to the moving stories from PeacePlayers staff members on bus rides as we travelled from PPI programs in Jerusalem, the West Bank, Tel Aviv, and Sdot Yam, and the ancient ruins of Caesarea, our eyes feasted on unbelievable sites and our ears and brains were treated to a cross-current of views and ideas from morning to night. And most of all, our hearts were filled with hope because of the young people we met ranging in ages from five to eighteen and the way they played together as well as their interactions with the PPI staff members throughout our stay.

I might also add that we had the opportunity to visit with Laura’s uncle who is a Judaic scholar, Broadway level musical comedy actor, and peace blogger, and has lived in Jerusalem for the past forty years, and we had breakfast with Laura and Kate’s rabbi who was studying in Jerusalem. Both tried to help us maintain some perspective on the divergent and, at times extreme, views that we encountered during our visit. In an email to Laura addressing some of the harsh realities of Israel, her rabbi exhorted her to recognize that, despite troubling places and things about our own country, such realities do not make us renounce the totality of American society or the veracity of American democracy. He wrote then about Israel: “…I encourage you to be inspired by amazing people who continue to struggle to right the ills of Israel. There is so much here that is beautiful, honorable, profoundly ethical, and wholly inspirational.”

What impacted upon you most?

To use the rabbi’s words, those who were especially “beautiful, honorable, profoundly ethical, and wholly inspirational” were the children and staff of PeacePlayers International. The “twinnings” we saw at the various PPI sites in Israel were simply amazing. The Jewish and Arab children interacted – from practice to games – as if they were lifelong friends and with no gaps in religion, ideology, or politics separating them. They were even tolerant enough to accept people like me participating in their practices despite my total basketball inadequacy and frequent air ball shots. The sheer joy of the littlest PeacePlayers children (ages 6-8) dribbling their own personal basketballs (given to them by PPI) and going up and down the court in their games touched hearts and inspired all of us who came to see them. At the other end of the age spectrum, we spent substantial time with PPI Leadership Development Program (LDP) boys and girls (ages 15-18) who played hard, hugged lovingly, and shared of themselves and their lives openly. To say that those of us on the trip wanted to not only embrace them, but also to take them home with us, would be an understatement. What powerful lessons they taught us not only on the court, but also in their every interaction with each other, with the PeacePlayers staff, and their new American friends. Just as dinner at Samer’s house touched our hearts and opened our trip with feelings of warmth and hope, our closing dinner on the beach at Dag Al Hayam with our fellow PPI travelers, the PPI leadership team, and the wonderful girls of the LDP, reaffirmed for us the mission of PeacePlayers International: to close divides in areas of conflict by building bridges between children from all sides – in this case Jews and Arabs – through the game of basketball.

PPI players and visitors at practice

From time to time, I was consulted on the trip for perspective as a “negotiation expert”. The real experts on bringing people together, however, are in the field every day on behalf of PeacePlayers International. Just as I will never forget the children dribbling their basketballs, sharing their experiences, hugging each other and us, and igniting our hopes, I will not forget the greatest bridge builders of all, the PPI team, including: Karen, Samer, Nissreen, Githa, Sharon, Galit, Edniesha, and “younger, taller” Samer.

Any other thoughts?

Let me share some from our family group:

Laura: “Kate and I are still struggling with explaining to our family the true impact of this incredible trip. It is difficult for Kate to discuss it without getting emotional. The opportunities that we had to not only witness, but to join in and befriend these incredible PeacePlayers children were truly the gift of a lifetime…..”

Michael: “The wonderful smiles of the girls, you, and everyone on the journey have been with me constantly since we left our new family last night. Amazing how small the world is, how much we all have in common, and the goodness of most everyone we come in contact with. I’m sure we will be downloading impressions, lessons learned and relationships developed for quite some time…”

John (Herb): “We learned a lot about the conflict from both the Jewish and Arab perspectives and I left more convinced than when I arrived of the importance of the PeacePlayers International programs. Actions from both sides are making the situation increasingly intractable, increasing the importance of establishing some common ground between the two sides. To the extent the children in our programs can establish this common ground, perhaps a sustainable solution to the conflict will one day be achievable. I would have far less confidence in the probability of such a solution if PPI was not actively bridging divides on the ground…”

Thanks to Ron and all the visitors, and to PPI-ME for being such amazing hosts!

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by | April 4, 2012 · 8:13 pm

PPI Hosts 2nd Annual “Dropping Dimes for Peace” at Hill Country BBQ in New York

Ann Curry (center) and Brian Ross (2nd from right), who visited our South Africa program site last August, met up with PPI - SA's former Fellow, Claire Perry (3rd from right).

Monday evening, April 2nd,  PeacePlayers International (PPI) held its annual “Dropping Dimes for Peace” pre-party to the NCAA Basketball Tournament Final at Hill Country Barbecue in New York City.

The event brought together friends, activists and supporters of the critical sports diplomacy and peace education work PPI does everyday in conflict zones throughout the world.

125 guests attended, including dancers from NETS Basketball, a PPI sponsor. Overall, PPI raised $29,000 through ticket sales and a raffle, which included prizes such as: signed Knicks gear, tickets to the Colbert Report and David Letterman, a basket from Tribeca Treats (which also donated cupcakes to serve at the event) and a Martha’s Vineyard getaway.

Cassia Schifter (left) and Rachel Thebault (right) collect their raffle prizes, which included a signed Jeremy Lin jersey.

Guests listened as PPI’s Executive Director, Brendan Tuohey, introduced a video about one of PPI’s most successful projects, the Jerusalem All Stars, and then shared his first-hand experience from Belfast of the powerful impact PPI is having on both the micro and macro levels via our new Sport4Change initiative.

We would like to extend our thanks to our generous sponsors, our gracious host Hill Country BBQ and to everyone who came out to support PPI. See you next year – same game, same place.

Click here to see the full event photo album on Facebook. 

Save the date: Next year’s March Madness events have been scheduled for Thursday, March 28, 2013 (NCAA Sweet 16 “Party for Peace” in DC) and Monday, April 8, 2013 (“Dropping Dimes for Peace” NCAA Final pre-party in NYC). 

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by | March 26, 2012 · 1:41 pm

PPI Marches to McFadden’s for its Annual “Party for Peace” in DC

Around 300 PPI supporters in the DC area came together to celebrate PPI's work using basketball to empower children in divided communities.

This week’s post is written by Research Assistant William Perry. 

Last Thursday night, March 22nd, was a night to celebrate sport and the great good it has delivered to some of the most divided regions of the world. PeacePlayers International (PPI) held its annual NCAA Sweet 16 “Party for Peace” at McFadden’s Restaurant in Washington, DC. The event brought together friends, activists and supporters of the critical sports diplomacy and peace education work PPI does everyday in conflict zones throughout the world.

PPI nearly doubled its efforts from 2011, thanks to the generous donations of our friends and supporters.

This year’s event was the biggest to date, yielding 300 guests. PPI raised $35,000 through ticket sales and a raffle for prizes which included: signed sports memorabilia from the Washington Capitals and Georgetown basketball team, Nationals and Wizards tickets, and a weekend getaway to Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Guests listened as PPI’s Executive Director, Brendan Tuohey, took the microphone and spoke passionately about the powerful impact we are having on both the micro and macro levels: bridging divides, developing leaders, and changing perceptions.

PPI - South Africa alumnus Claire Perry and coach Nasiphi Khafu with PPI's Communications and Development Associate Hannah Sloss.

The event was also a family affair: Among others in attendance were PPI Alumni, current Fellow Rory O’Neil and the three coaches from PPI’s South Africa program, Nasiphi Khafu, Sfiso Mthembu and Mtu Zulu, who were recently selected by the U.S. Department of State’s prestigious SportsUnited exchange program.

We would like to extend our thanks to all those who attended, the gracious support of our sponsors and McFadden’s Restaurant for being an incredible host. Click here to see the full event photo album on Facebook. Once again, thank you and we’ll see you next year!

Our “Dropping Dimes for Peace” event in New York City is quickly approaching. If you would like to attend the April 2nd fundraiser, please click here to reserve your tickets.

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by | March 5, 2012 · 5:18 pm

NETS Basketball and PeacePlayers International Align for Global Social Change Through Basketball

WASHINGTON, DC/EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (March 2, 2012) – In keeping with the team’s goals of aligning with global organizations, NETS Basketball is creating an association with PeacePlayers International (PPI), an innovative peace-building organization and a leader in the use of sport for social change worldwide.

Inspired by the belief that ‘children who play together can learn to live together,’ PPI has built a proven model for bridging divides and developing community leaders, using basketball to foster mutual respect and understanding among children in divided communities. PPI operates four year-round programs in Israel/West Bank, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Cyprus. In running a technical assistance program leveraging institutional knowledge, PPI promotes change on a global scale by training organizations around the world to implement “sport for good” projects. Since its founding in 2001, PPI has reached over 52,000 individuals worldwide, and received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2007 ESPYs.

“Through its generous sponsorship of PeacePlayers, NETS Basketball has demonstrated its commitment to the power of sport for social change, providing children around the world with an opportunity to play together, develop friendships, and build a more peaceful future,” said Brendan Tuohey, Executive Director of PeacePlayers International.

“We are proud to support such a worthy and pioneering organization as PeacePlayers International,” said Irina Pavlova, the President of Onexim Sports and Entertainment, which is Mikhail Prokhorov’s company that owns the Nets.

“As a basketball team, we understand that the sport teaches players important life lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship, and we’re excited to help bring people together. This alignment with PeacePlayers also continues our strategy of extending our globalization efforts.”

In recognition of the NETS’ investment in its work, PPI will hold events in each of its core program sites: a joint Protestant-Catholic basketball tournament in Northern Ireland, a multi-ethnic city-wide tournament in South Africa, a summer camp for Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot children in Cyprus, and a peace education retreat in Israel/West Bank to help develop Arab and Jewish youth leaders into coaches.

CONTACTS:

Amy Selco, PeacePlayers International: 202-408-5116
aselco@peaceplayersintl.org http://www.peaceplayersintl.org

Barry Baum, NETS Basketball: 917-847-1737
bbaum@njnets.com http://www.njnets.com

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by | December 22, 2011 · 4:39 pm

PPI – ME Guests of honor: Win Sheridan and Brendan Tuohey

Brendan, Tal, Dan and Win (back row, l. to r.) at a girls' Twinning in Jeursalem

Last week, we received a visit from PPI board member Win Sheridan and Executive Director Brendan Tuohey, who made the long plane trip from Washington, D.C. to check out the work we’re doing on the ground. Although Brendan has been to the region numerous times over the years, this was Win’s first trip to the site. Win got a chance to meet hundreds of our Palestinian and Israeli kids in Israel and the West Bank. The action started immediately upon landing Sunday evening, when Win and Brendan traveled straight from the airport to the Hand-in-Hand School gym in Jerusalem, where they caught our session with women’s golf star Morgan Pressel. After that, we decided to give them a break and let them rest up for the activity-packed days ahead of them.

Win helps Ein Rafah Minis with a relay drill

The next morning started out with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem, led by a tour guide named Martin, who also happens to be the father of one of our longtime PeacePlayers, Yuval. He gave them some of the city’s rich and complicated history and also shared how happy he was that his daughter has had a chance to be a part of PeacePlayers. After that, Win and Brendan drove straight to Ramallah, where they caught a basketball clinic with Palestinian girls in the Jalazone refugee camp. Win got right into the action, lining up for relays together with our girls. And was that it for the day’s events? No way! From Ramallah, Win and Brendan drove back to Jerusalem, where they got to practice with a group of Palestinian and Israeli league players from East Jerusalem and Holon, and then catch a professional Eurocup game, witnessing Hapoel Jerusalem succumb to Ukranian team BC Donetsk.

Day three started with a trip to the Dead Sea, where Win, Brendan and a couple of our staff members got to dip in the extra buoyant, salty waters. Then it was once again back to Jerusalem for another Twinning, this time for one team from East and another from West Jerusalem. There they were also joined by Tal Alter from the PPI headquarters, who was visiting Israel with family, and American basketball player Dan Grunfeld. The Twinning was followed up by a session of PPI’s Peace Education Curriculum, led by members of the girls’ Leadership Development Program, who showed off their most impressive facilitation skills.

Win on the court with Jerusalem Minis

On the fourth and final day of Win and Brendan’s visit, we held the first “Minis” Twinning of the season for kids from Keshet School in West Jerusalem, and Beit Safafa in the East. After meeting the Jerusalem Minis, Win and Brendan got on the court with our Ein Rafa Minis, who despite the cold temperatures, were in high spirits! After that, it was sadly time for Win and Brendan to head to the airport. They both told us they are going home with good memories a plenty, and Win had some especially kind words to share about his first experience in the Middle East:

“It was truly awesome to be at the twinnings to witness it first-hand! To see Jewish and Arab girls and boys playing together as a team and having fun was incredible! It just seemed natural for them to be together and, obviously, true friendships are being built. The leadership session was excellent, as well! I have no doubt that some of the girls will emerge as true leaders and even some will become PPI coaches, but, regardless, all benefit a great deal from the program. The positive attitude, confidence, relationship skills, discipline, etc. they get from it will serve them well in the years to come. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience that I will never forget!”

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by | December 15, 2011 · 2:13 pm

23-year-old Womens’ Golf Star Morgan Pressel Visits PPI – ME

Morgan helps PPI - ME youth leaders carry out basketball practice for Palestinian girls.

We’re in the middle of an action-packed visit from PPI Board Member Win Sheridan and Executive Director Brendan Tuohey (which we’ll fill you in about next week), but we’re taking a breather to tell you about a very special athlete who stopped by to say hello and shoot some hoops with us this week: American pro-golfer Morgan Pressel.  Morgan came by with her sister Madison, her manager, Chris Armstrong, and with her Grandmother (who helped raise Morgan after her mother died of breast cancer when Morgan was a young teenager) to catch a practice session for Palestinian girls from East Jerusalem. The practice was led by Palestinian youth leaders, who are around the age Morgan was when she pushed the boundaries and went pro at the age of 17, surpassing Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) rules which state that members must be 18 years old.

Morgan helped youth leaders conduct practice and, after the session, led a discussion with our PeacePlayers about the impact sport has had on her life, and what she had to do to get where she is today. Basically, it boiled down to three words: practice, practice, practice. She also talked about being a female athlete in a male-dominate sport, a subject that is especially relevant for our young Palestinian female participants, for whom sports isn’t always an easy option, due to conservative social norms prevailing in many communities. Our kids had lots of questions for Morgan, including how she was able to balance schoolwork, daily golf practice and a social life when she was their age.

Morgan was the youngest player to ever have won a major LPGA major championship. In addition to being a star golfer, Morgan is devoted to the fight against breast cancer, and works to raise money and awareness to help combat this disease. She is a living example of what hard work, determination and talent can mean for aspiring young athletes.

Check out Morgan’s Facebook page for more photos from her time in Israel. You can also follow her real time updates via her twitter handle @MP_Foundation. 

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