PPI-NI recently wrapped up a four-week program with five community centers within the Castlereagh Borough Council area. PeacePlayers created a specially designed curriculum of basketball and community relations for participants to discuss diversity, prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination.
As part of the partnership with Castlereagh Borough Council, PPI-NI also led a four-week twinning with Newtownbreda High School and Our Lady and St. Patrick’s College, Knock. By working together to complete team-building challenges, competing in games, and learning from each other through community relations discussions, the two schools received the true PeacePlayers experience.
While trying to decide on what basketball games to play with one of our younger centers, Fellow Shannon Brown had a phone call with our friends in PPI-CY to share new ideas. Fellows Gunnar Hagstrom and Adam Hirsch suggested a game called “Sharks and Minnows,” where one kid is selected as a “shark.” Sharks must dribble a basketball at all times and try to catch the “minnows” who must race from one end of the court to another without being caught. Once caught by a shark, the minnow then becomes a shark. In the video above, PPI-NI demonstrates the intensity of such a game.
