SPORTS

The benefits of b-ball for Asian boys

As a member of the Massachusetts Asian Society Athletic Establishment (MASAE), I have traveled across the country and participated in many activities, such as camping, hiking, skiing, canoeing, and basketball. The MASAE was created by Vinh Bui and Michael Nazareno to give an athletic outlet to Asian youth in Boston neighborhoods. “Our objective was to give the largely untouched Asian population in our neighborhoods previously unavailable opportunities to travel all around North America and compete,” said Bui, founder and the coach of my basketball team.

The MASAE boys’ basketball team was formed after we were picked on while playing basketball with adults, so Bui decided to train us to make us better basketball players. He created this team of teens so we could have the opportunity to think wisely and to play a more organized game. “There weren’t many basketball programs in my neighborhood emphasizing the teaching of the fundamentals of the game. The youth in my neighborhood were all learning the game through pick-up play, which creates bad habits and lack of structure,” according to Bui. “Dorchester youth, particularly Asians, were not being taught how to play organized basketball. Most of the kids from our neighborhood will never receive the opportunity to practice with set plays, or a structured conditioning regiment.”

Our teammates met through friends and youth from other programs, including Dorchester Youth Collaborative, an after-school program in Fields Corner where young adults can meet new people. “I feel that MASAE is a great organization that helps us stay away from gang violence,” said Minh Troung, 14, of Dorchester.

MASAE also changed my life because playing on a basketball team, I was not affiliated with Dorchester gangs, which helped me live above the influence.

As years have passed, we have improved our basketball skills and worked hard as a team, practicing almost every day at Dorchester House Multi-Service Center. I’ve learned that being committed to a team is a big decision to make in life, because being successful takes responsibility and dedication. Although we realize many people have made negative comments and judged us by the color of our skin, that does not bring us down because it shows us that we have to work harder to prove that we can play well.

Our biggest accomplishment was when we won a championship game in New Jersey in early 2008. That’s when we realized: hard work pays off.

“Transforming youths who had no experience playing organized basketball into a team that can run complex set motion plays feels very satisfying,” said Bui. “A couple of kids couldn’t even finish a lay-up. Now, they’re playing junior varsity basketball for their high schools. That’s a very gratifying feeling.”

This year, we are fund-raising so we can travel and play in more tournaments. We held a Halloween party at Dorchester House and we’re planning a video game tournament this month.

The MASEA basketball team.
photo by WriteBoston

The lesser-known games

By Olive Tang // Staff Writer

Athletes work harder, overcoming hurdles, and fighting all odds to compete. There are 148 countries, 20 events, 19 venues, 12 days, 53 shattered world records, and “one world, one dream.”

Where can you find this and more? In the International Paralympic Games, which take place approximately two weeks after the closing of the Summer Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games are held in the same host country as the Olympics. The Paralympics are an international convening of disabled athletes who compete at the same prestigious level as Olympic athletes. Events include wheelchair basketball, archery, and judo.

The Paralympics are less widely advertised than the Summer Olympics. Just take a look at NBC’s coverage of the Olympics. Daily coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics brought an average of 27.7 million viewers nightly to NBC, more than any other Summer Olympics, according to msnbc.com. And how many viewers will be drawn nightly to the NBC prime time coverage of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics? Zero! Why? There is no television coverage of the Paralympics available in the United States.

According to the The New York Times, Americans had to stream videos on www.universalsports.com in order to view the Paralympics. Why? NBC Olympic president, Gary Zenkel, is quoted in a New York Times story saying, “We are a commercial enterprise...We are not public television. We have to get advertising revenue that exceeds its cost. It is not inexpensive to cover two weeks of athletic events in China.”

TEENS SPEAK OUT
What do teens have to say about this compromised media coverage?
One hundred and thirty teens, ages 13 to 16, were asked if they had heard of the Paralympics, if they would be interested in watching any part of the Paralympics, and whether they would like to have more media coverage of the Paralympics. Below, see our results.

Of those who said they had heard of the Paralympics, 83.54 percent said they would be interested in watching some part of the Paralympics and in having more media coverage. Others who had not heard of the Paralympics may be unaware of this amazing event because of the lack of media coverage. With such high level of interest, doesn’t it make sense for the media to cover the Paralympic games and give the respect to those athletes who deserve it most?