Tag Archives: summer camp

by | January 11, 2013 · 7:25 pm

Top Five Moments from PPI – Cyprus in 2012

PeacePlayers had a great year in 2012 and we are all looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us!

PeacePlayers had a great year in 2012 and we are all looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us!

PeacePlayers-Cyprus had a successful year filled with basketball, tournaments, camps, twinnings, leadership development programs and of course our PPI-CY participants who without them we wouldn’t be able to achieve the goals of PeacePlayers. We are really looking forward to this upcoming year, to build upon our existing programs and add new ones that will help us achieve more as a bicommunal organization here in Cyprus. Here are the top five moments from PPI-CY in 2012 in no particular order:

1. PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp Features NBA and WNBA Guests

In the summer of 2012, PPI – Cyprus held its annual summer camp for 64 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth for 6 days and 5 nights in the mountain village of Agros. Activities that ran through the week, included basketball training, team “survival” games, a film workshop, a workshop on leadership and Anatomy of Peace training. On the court, campers were run through basketball drills and given time to compete in games. In the classroom, they learned about leadership and the importance of volunteering, the Anatomy of Peace curriculum and other life skills for personal development. The highlight of this year’s camp was the attendance of two professional basketball stars. NBA Brooklyn Nets Assistant Coach and former NBA player, Doug Overton, and former WNBA player Shaunzinski Gortman, attended the whole length of the camp as mentors and coaches.

Doug Overton with new friends at the PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp

Doug Overton and Shaunzinski Gortman with new friends at the PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp

PPI-CY was excited to have guests from the NBA and WNBA, whose expertise in all aspects of the game of basketball, including their ability to not only play but teach, is something that PPI-CY and all of its participants benefited from. The camp had a great impact on the participants, as one coach stated, “The children from both sides of the island were interacting to the point that you could not tell we were running a bicommunal event. As they played on and off the court together, the participants seamlessly weaved in and out of their assigned teams and groups leaving no one isolated or alone, regardless of where they were from.”

2. PPI-CY & Norwegian National Football Federation team up

Norweigian Team Poses with PPI-CY

Norweigian Team Poses with PPI-CY

On October 16th while the Norwegian National Football team was in Cyprus to play a match against the national team of the Republic of Cyprus, they took time out of their busy schedule to visit PPI-CY. The Norwegian ambassador and the entire team talked and played with 20 PeacePlayers participants, demonstrating Norway’s tremendous support and encouragement of bi-communal relationships on the island.

3. LDP Weekend

Vito Gilic leading a drill at the LDP retreat

Vito Gilic leading a drill at the LDP retreat

On 17th and 18th of November coaches and staff members selected 21 promising young leaders from our program across Cyprus to be part of our Leadership Development Program (LDP). We assembled together in the mountains of Cyprus for a weekend of intensive basketball skill development, leadership and Anatomy of Peace sessions. Along with our special guest from PPI – Middle East, Basketball Operations Director and youth coach extraordinaire Vito Gilic, our coaches from each of our teams across the island joined in the weekend and had the opportunity to learn Vito’s methods for teaching and coaching youth. On the court we worked on everything from individual skill development, cooperation among pairs and full court teamwork drills. Vito taught the coaches how to incorporate different tools resulting in highly innovative and creative training sessions.

When asked what her hopes hold for the 21 program leaders attending the LDP weekend, PPI Cyprus Managing Director, Marina Vasilara responded, “Each of these kids possesses tremendous potential, the sky is the limit, we want them to be empowered to reach beyond limitations and open their minds, to realize they possess the capacity to reach great place.”

4. PeacePlayers’ All Girls Basketball Tournament in Limassol

PeacePlayers' All Girls Tournament

PeacePlayers’ All Girls Tournament

In December 2012, PPI-CY organized their first ever Limassol basketball tournament for girls. What made this tournament unique was the fact that for the first time in Cyprus youth basketball academies including Zenon (Larnaka) and Apollon (Limassol) scrimmaged against two mixed PeacePlayers teams. PeacePlayers created the two teams by teaming up Turkish-Cypriot players from Lapta (North Cyprus) with Greek-Cypriot players from Kiti and Dali (South Cyprus).

The tournament brought together 60 girls ages 12-16 years old. A fun, friendly and competitive environment allowed our PeacePlayers kids to test their basketball skills against the 2 youth basketball academies. For players on the club teams, this was the first time they had ever played on the court with a mixed team of both Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot players. Anyone at the game could recognize the excitement and uniqueness of this experience, even the parents of the club teams were cheering and supporting their kids as well as the PeacePlayers’ teams.

5. Winter Tournament

In the context of the festivities for the European Commission being awarded the Nobel Prize, PPI-CY in collaboration with the European Commission Representation in Cyprus organized the PeacePlayers Winter Basketball Tournament. The PPI-CY Winter Basketball tournament hosted 130 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth, for 3 on 3 competitions. Also present were 20 volunteers, parents and representatives of the European Commission who in collaboration with the coaches and PPI staff directed a successful tournament.

“I am delighted we support this initiative. Sport is the best way to overcome any dividing lines and to create an environment of cooperation and trust among our youth” said George Markopouliotis, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Cyprus.

The PPI-CY Winter Basketball Tournament

The PPI-CY Winter Basketball Tournament

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by | August 17, 2012 · 5:02 pm

PPI-Cyprus Youth Become Filmmakers

PeacePlayers-Cyprus’ participants had the opportunity to create and produce their very own short films during this year’s summer camp!  Many thanks to the Cyprus Community Media Centre, who sent Ivan, a professional filmmaker, to meet with our youth during one of their sessions away from the basketball court. Ivan spent the morning session teaching everyone about pre-production in filmmaking, then gave the older kids and the younger kids time to meet in groups to create a story line to be filmed in the afternoon.  After much deliberation, both groups ended up choosing to make music videos for songs they relate to.

The seniors chose the ever popular hit by Cary Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe.”  The juniors chose the easily relatable Little Bow Wow hit “Basketball.”  The videos have since been uploaded to YouTube and shared over Facebook countless times, making the video project one of the most successful tools in keeping young people from both sides connected long after camp has finished.

Check out their videos below!

Sing along to the Seniors’ remake of Carly Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”:

Enjoy the Juniors’ remake of “Basketball” by Little Bow Wow:

It is wonderful to be reminded that mediums like sports and art allow individuals from all backgrounds to connect in fun and meaningful ways, opening kids up to building bridges across communities.

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by | August 10, 2012 · 5:07 pm

PPI-CY’s Annual Summer Camp: Development On and Off the Court

Today’s blog post was written by Ashley Johnson, PPI-Cyprus‘s newest fellow.

Camp, the best week of the year! That’s how I remember my experience as a kid growing up attending basketball camps.  I made new friends and played a game that I loved.  I left camp feeling inspired every year. This was our hope for the 32 Greek-Cypriot and 32 Turkish-Cypriot youth attending our annual summer camp.  We set out to inspire the youth as basketball players, while also inspiring them as individuals, to become proactive leaders in their own lives and within their respective communities.  While the youth worked hard throughout the week on the basketball court, they were also challenged in the classroom.

PPI-CY campers talk about personal leadership with Akis.

Our Peace and Leadership Curriculum, developed in partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Arbinger Institute, is central to our goals of uniting, educating, and inspiring the youth in our program.  Sessions on the court and in the classroom allow us to create a holistic approach to youth development, encouraging our kids to reach their full potential as basketball players and as individuals.  Fellow Ashley Johnson and Board member Akis Christofides began the classroom sessions for the week with two leadership sessions.  Ashley’s sessions began with the kids looking internally, talking about what leadership means, and determining how to cultivate the qualities of a positive leader within themselves.  Akis’s session built off of their understanding of role models and leadership, and stressed the importance of seeking to create a life full of passion and purpose. He inspired the kids with video clips of superstars like Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong.

Ashley uses her experience as a volunteer in the Peace Corps to start a discussion about the importance of serving others.

We then transitioned to another classroom session on service and volunteering.  The participants saw photos and listened to stories about Ashley Johnson’s experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon. learning that serving others, whether across the world or in one’s own community, not only positively impacts those whom you serve, but also greatly develops one’s own character.

With the kids beginning to think about and see themselves as integral members of a greater community, PPI-CY Managing Director, Marina Vasilera and Board member Tarik Tekman took the lead in the next two sessions.  The focus was on PPI’s signature peace-building curriculum, “The Anatomy of Peace.”  Through the Anatomy of Peace sessions, the kids began to examine the way they view others, evaluate whether they see others as individuals or as objects, and realize the importance of seeing the humanity within all individuals.

Campers share their work in a classroom session.

With such rich experiences throughout the week on and off the court, there is no doubt the campers returned to their homes inspired and empowered.  With their continued growth and development as PeacePlayers participants and leaders, it is our hope that youth will be able to positively shape the future of the island of Cyprus.

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by | August 3, 2012 · 3:14 pm

PPI-Cyprus Summer Camp Features NBA and WNBA Guests

The PPI CY Summer Camp participants with staff and guests

This past week PeacePlayers-Cyprus held its annual Summer Camp.  The camp hosted 64 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot youth for 6 days and 5 nights at the Rodon Hotel in the Mountain Village of Agros.  In attendance at the camp were the Brooklyn Nets Assistant Coach and former NBA player Doug Overton and former WNBA player Shaunzinski Gortman.  If the final day was any indicator as to how the camp went, then all involved would say it was a huge success.  As the seconds ticked down and the buses pulled up, hugs and goodbyes began to fill the reception area of the Rodon hotel.  Doug and Shaunzinski frantically signed shirts and scribbled autographs on the programs and scrap paper that campers pushed their way.

Coach Doug Overton speaks to the PPI-CY participants

The week was filled with basketball and learning.  Campers woke up in the early hours and started their day with some morning activities before breakfast.  Activities ran through the week, including pool time, a disco night, a survival game obstacle course, and a film workshop.  But at the core of the camp was basketball and classroom time.  On the court, campers were run through drills and given time to compete in games.  In the classrooms, they learned about leadership and the importance of volunteering from Fellow Ashley Johnson and head of the PPI-CY board Akis Christofides, the Anatomy of Peace from Coordinator Athanasios Souflias, Managing Director Marina Vasilara, and Board member Tarik Tekman, and other life skills and issues of personal development.  Both Doug and Shaunzinski spoke to the campers as well, touching on the importance of believing in oneself and having the confidence to succeed.

The campers had the chance to play and compete

It was apparent to anyone observing our campers that the bicommunal efforts of PeacePlayers Cyprus are having an impact on our participants.  The children from both sides of the island were interacting to the point that you could not tell we were running a bicommunal event.  As they played on and off the court together the participants seamlessly weaved in and out of their assigned teams and groups leaving no one isolated or alone, regardless of where they were from on the island.  One night, as Doug asked the question “what is one thing you have learned so far from camp?” a participant stated that he had learned the language of the campers from the other of the island.

The camp is a great chance for our participants to be exposed to prolonged interaction with kids that they usually do not get to interact with on a daily basis.  To be able to spend 6 days and 5 nights together allows them to get to know PeacePlayers Cyprus, its staff, its guests, and most importantly its participants better.

Thanks to the Brooklyn Nets and the Embassy of the United States Nicosia Cyprus  for making this event possible!

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by | August 12, 2011 · 1:57 pm

The PeacePlayers-Cyprus Basketball Summer Camp: Part 2

The 2011 PPI-Cyprus Basketball Campers!

Over 5 nights from July 27 to August 1, PeacePlayers International – Cyprus held its Basketball Summer Camp for 60 Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot boys and girls. The aim of the camp is to bring 12 to 16 year old Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot children together to play basketball, develop new friendships and learn about peace. Below is part 2 of a two-week blog about the camp:

The PeacePlayers campers getting their groove on.

After a long day of team building games, Anatomy of Peace in the classroom, and basketball under the sun, the campers headed back to the dining hall for some much deserved dinner. But the day was far from over. Each night the children gathered back together for some nightly activities, such as Bingo, Camp Jeopardy, or Disco Nights Coach Stephanie acted as the DJ, playing popular songs in English, Greek and Turkish, which all the kids danced to.

PPI Board President Brian Kriftcher coaching the Yellow Senior Girls Team.

On the second day of camp, the kids and coaches were joined by PPI Founder and Executive Director Brendan Tuohey, PPI Board President Brian Kriftcher, and his nephew Zach. Since retiring from the business world, Brian has devoted his full-time energies to his passions for coaching, teaching and philanthropic work. Some of the kids were lucky enough to have Brian as their guest coach for the day. There was an immediate connection between Brian and the kids, and the following morning, upon strong request, Brian led a special 5:30am basketball practice for some enthusiastic campers.

The final match between Black and Yellow Senior Boys came down to the wire.

On the final day, each team played competitive matches in front of the whole camp. Kids sat on the sidelines cheering for their color and encouraging their teammates to play hard. The kids played great, with one game going into overtime with a dramatic finish. But in the end, Black team won 3 out of the four matches, making them the PPI Basketball Camp champions.

But after all the games were finished, there was still plenty fun to be had. Black and Yellow teams got on opposite sides of the court, and everyone was handed a water balloon (with another 200 balloons in the center), in preparation for the biggest and baddest water balloon fight ever!! Soaked and giggling, the kids headed back to the hotel for dinner and a surprise birthday party for PPI-CY Managing Director, Marina Vasilara, which included a chocolate cake big enough for 80 people.

Greek-Cypriot and Turkish Cypriots from the senior girls team pose together.

The next morning coaches handed their teams medals for completing the camp, and everyone gathered for a last group photo. Even though everyone was tired and exhausted, we were all sad to leave. After talking to the coaches, I found out how impressed we all were not only by how well everyone got along on the basketball court, but by how much cross cultural interaction was going on off the court. Each day Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot children sat next to each other in the dining hall, they played in the pool together, and during the Disco nights, everyone danced together.

“After working 8 bicommunal camps in the past, this has to be the best camp I have ever worked. In all my years, I have never seen Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot children get along so well.” – PPI-CY Coach Bahar

Elena (Greek-Cypriot) with Fuat (Turkish-Cypriot) on the final day of camp

On the 3rd day of camp, I came across a group of Turkish-Cypriot girls studying Greek words on their own so that they could say goodnight to the other campers. Another Turkish-Cypriot boy, who wishes to remain anonymous, was extra sad when camp ended. “I have fallen in love, but she is Greek-Cypriot,” he told me as we were leaving. I tried cheering him up, and assured him they could stay in contact over Facebook, and everyone would see each other again at the PeaceDay Basketball Tournament at the end of this September.

After another amazing week at PeacePlayers International -C yprus, it was clear to everyone that real friendships had been made, and nothing bridges divides quite like a PeacePlayers Basketball Camp.

For all the pictures from the camp, make sure to become a member of the PeacePlayers Facebook Group Here. The PeacePlayers Summer Basketball Camp is supported by the US Embassy’s Bicommunal Support Programme and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.


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by | September 23, 2010 · 1:15 pm

Thanks to the 8th Grade Campers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin!

camp_fuller_summer_camp_17PeacePlayers International would like to thank the 8th grade campers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin! This summer, the campers banded together to make a gift of nearly $150 to PeacePlayers International, supporting our work using the game of basketball to bridge divides in the Middle East and all over the world!

Explains Linda Hoffenberg, the camp’s Director of Institutional Advancement:

In addition to enjoying all the activities of a fun-filled camp season, this summer these young people focused on the theme of charity. They spent a lot of their time and energy raising money, studying about philanthropy and learning about organizations doing good work in the local community and in the world at large. They raised money by holding raffles, selling telegrams and holding car washes.

The 8th grade campers held many discussion to determine the organizations that would receive their hard earned dollars, and we’re happy to say that PeacePlayers International was one of their top choices.

PeacePlayers International is honored to have the support of such an enterprising group of young people. We aim to bridge divides, not just those within divided communities but also those between diverse communities all over the globe, and it’s always rewarding to know that our work has resonated with a new group of young leaders.

Thank you to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, and especially to the camp’s 8th graders for their hard work and generosity!

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