LIVINGSTON, NJ — With the help of a suburban New Jersey organization that pairs children with special needs with teenage volunteers, a group of energetic athletes-in-the-making can now dribble, shoot and score. After their first exhibition game last week, they even have one win under their belts.
Teens With Special Needs Take to the Basketball Court
LIVINGSTON, NJ — With the help of a suburban New Jersey organization that pairs children with special needs with teenage volunteers, a group of energetic athletes-in-the-making can now dribble, shoot and score. After their first exhibition game last week, they even have one win under their belts.
The Livingston, N.J.-based Friendship Circle, a project of Chabad-Lubavitch of Livingston and one of 65 branches of a international network dedicated to helping children with special needs integrate into society, spent five weeks assembling a basketball team under the athletic direction of Bob Wasilak. The coach taught the Teen Scene Basketball League members the basics of the game and the importance of team work.
The instruction apparently paid off, as evidenced by the Friendship Circle’s 52-48 win in their Dec. 17 exhibition game against the Jaguars from Joseph Kushner Academy, a local Jewish private school.
But while the victory was an accomplishment in and of itself parent Linda Kay from Parsippany was amazed that her 19-year-old son Eric had it in him to even play.
hannah
Go Chavi!!!
Michoel
Chabad @ U of I- amazing. Keep it up!!!
– a fan of yours
BSW
Go Illini! Good work Dovid.
Isiah Thomas
Maybe these guys can come play for the Knicks. Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyy
anonymous
Great job Chavi! Looks like you got good coverage!