S.K.Y. Announces Parternship With African Basketball Online

Posted on 05. Aug, 2010 by ABO in Blog

July 8, 2010:

The S.K.Y. Streetball Syndicate (S.K.Y.), one of the world’s top professional streetball brands, today announced a new partnership with African Basketball Online, to promote basketball and youth outreach programs throughout the African continent.

The partnership will mark many firsts for an American street basketball brand, according to Lee Greene, President of S.K.Y., Ltd, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, but with offices in Shanghai, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A.

“ABO organizes basketball programs, integrated with life skills, and leadership education for participants (male and female ages 8-17), coaches, and administrators,” said its President and Founder, Eyo Effiong. “We host the ABO Leadership and Basketball Camps to foster academic and social development of participants (male and female ages 8-17), coaches, and administrators involved in our programs. We have talked to Mr. Greene about many opportunities from a shoes-for-kids program to general tours in select countries. We fully recognize the benefits of a partnership with S.K.Y. due to its mission and the ability of the players to entertain and spread the word on who we are globally.”

African Basketball (ABO) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt USA-based, non-Profit organization dedicated to the development of African education and sports programs and is based in New Jersey.

Eyo added that the ABO uses the basketball camps and coaches’ clinics as a tool to: (1) motivate participants (boys and girls ages 8-21) to attend, stay in school, and further their education after completion of their primary education. (2) Promote gender equality, and empower women by the inclusion of girls from the communities at every ABO Leadership & Basketball Camp. (3) Address poverty issues by helping participants, coaches, and administrators acquire and improve their skills, and knowledge of the game of basketball, and other life skills (Conflict Management, Leadership skills, Job skills, and education), which provides academic and employment opportunities.

Green added: “This partnership is a marathon not a sprint. This is merely the start of a relationship will speak at the heart of S.K.Y.’s mission to use basketball as a means of a bridge into a continent to help educate youth, especially in a continent that needs great assistance in many areas.”

The S.K.Y. Streetball Syndicate is the top professional streetball team and consists of some of the best streetball basketball players in the world. The S.K.Y. roster includes Taurian “Mr. 720″ Fontenette (Dallas Tex.); Dennis “Spyda” Chism (Atlanta, Ga.), John “Helicopter” Humphrey (Morehead City, N.C.); Patrick “Da Roc” Robinson (Baltimore, Md.); Anthony “Half Man Half Amazing” Heyward (Brooklyn, NY); James “Big Swoal” Rhodes (Wilmington, NC); and newcomer Guy “Space Invander” Dupuy (Paris, France). Fontenette was the Sprite amateur NBA All-Star Weekend dunk winner at JAMfest in Dallas this past February.

“We will be working on additional marketing extensions to bring the team to different countries in Africa as part of this strategic alliance,” said Steve Brunner, President of King of the Mountain Sports and the Vice President of Development and Marketing for S.K.Y. “We have several plans globally and this partnership works well with our mission. Mr. Effiong is building something special as a bridge to Africa’s future through sport.”

S.K.Y. will be playing in an historic three-week tour in China from July 24-August 8, stopping in Beijing, Wuhan, and Shanghai. The events will be chronicled for a nationwide reality series featuring the S.K.Y. players and will air on CCTV-5 throughout China this autumn. The goal of the tour is to discover China’s top streetball players. A similar program for Africa may in the future for S.K.Y., added Greene.

AFRICAN BASKETBALL (ABO) AND THE JEWISH COACHES ASSOCIATION (JCA) ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Posted on 20. Jun, 2010 by ABO in Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY, JUNE 3, 2010: African Basketball (ABO) and the Jewish Coaches Association (JCA) announced today an exclusive partnership that gives JCA the opportunity to support African Basketball (ABO) charity initiatives in Africa, and create opportunities for U.S. coaches to volunteer in African communities as motivational speakers, basketball camp coaches, and instructors. JCA will also promote fundraising efforts for upcoming ABO Youth Leadership and Basketball Camps in Africa.

“This is a great opportunity for ABO and JCA to use sport as a tool to educate the kids and participants in many African communities, on the value of leadership, education, life skills, and a healthy lifestyle, with the help of our volunteers, sponsors, and partners from the United States.” said Mr. Eyo Effiong, President and Founder of African Basketball. “We are very excited to offer our services to ABO and to work together toward this common goal.” Said Mr. Jason Belzer, Executive Director at JCA.

About African Basketball (www.africanbasketball.org)

African Basketball (ABO) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt USA-based, non-profit organization dedicated to the development of Africa through Sports. ABO organizes basketball programs, integrated with life skills, and leadership education for participants (boys and girls ages 8-21), coaches, and administrators. ABO uses basketball camps and coaches’ clinics as a tool to educate participants on the value of leadership, education, life skills, and a healthy lifestyle.

About JCA (www.jewishcoaches.com)

The Jewish Coaches Association was founded in 2006. The non-profit organization supports Jewish-American college, high school and youth basketball coaches around the United States. The association is an advocacy group for coaches to represent coaches to the NCAA and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

James Kamau, Executive Director

Posted on 23. May, 2010 by ABO in Blog

James Anthony Kamau was born in Nairobi, Kenya to a community fraught with drugs, violence and unemployment.  His experiences as a child led to a desire for social change: he followed this initiative by earning a diploma in community development from the Kenya School of Social Service.

James fearlessly entered the world of activism in 2003 and has spent the last seven years performing youth work and facilitating community development. His years playing premiere-league basketball in Kenya gave him the opportunity to mentor youth through Basketball, and today he is actively involved in sport training.  He is also a life skills coach – which includes HIV/AIDS education, social entrepreneurial training and leadership development – as well as an event planner in both the corporate and non-profit realms.

James recently founded Youth Initiative Canada, a multi-dimensional organization that partners Canadian and African youth to create sustainable change.   His training in volunteer management by Voluntary Service Overseas has proved invaluable in mobilizing others with a desire for social justice, and his work as an entertainment entrepreneur has enabled him to bring two worlds together for the common good.

James continues to use his professionalism and compassion as the Executive Director at African Basketball to promote athletic integrity, personal empowerment, community advocacy and sports development.

Eyo Effiong, Founder & President

Posted on 23. May, 2010 by ABO in Blog

Eyo Effiong, Founder & President

Eyo Effiong is the founder and president of African Basketball (ABO), a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the development of the
youth through sports. Effiong is a native of Cross River State, Nigeria, but he
lived and schooled in Lagos, Nigeria, before being awarded a full athletic
scholarship to a college in the United States in 1998.

Effiong played NCAA Division I basketball at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South
Carolina, an Academic All-America in 2001-2002, four-time Big South
Conference Champion, a recipient of the State of South Carolina Award for
Excellence, and a former Nigerian National Basketball Team Standout.

He holds a Masters in Accounting from Winthrop University, and has over
seven years of experience working in public accounting. Effiong has a
passion for the development and empowerment of the youth, with over 10
years of experience working with youth basketball programs, camps and
clinics.

He resides in Nutley, New Jersey, with his beautiful bride (Hokehe) and
daughter (Abigail).

Nigeria: ABO Ambassador Julius Francis to give back to his community in the Niger Delta region

Posted on 25. Apr, 2010 by ABO in Blog

April 25, 2010:

Julius Francis to lead the 2010 summer ABO Leadership & Basketball Camp in Nigeria.

Clifton, New Jersey — Winthrop University freshman basketball player Julius Francis a Nigerian native will travel to Warri, Delta State, Nigeria to give back to his community. Julius plans to organize and run the ABO Leadership & Basketball Camp in July 23 – July 25, 2010.

The Niger Delta is an unstable area of Nigeria, due to violence emanating from struggle for control over oil revenue and resources.

“Julius has a genuine concern for kids in the Niger Delta communities where he grew up, and an appreciation for the opportunities he has had playing basketball in the United States while working toward his degree,” said Mr. Effiong the President and Founder of ABO, in his organization’s appointment of Julius as an ABO Ambassador.

Francis, a 6-11 center from Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, attended the 2006 ABO Leadership & Basketball Camp in Lagos, Nigeria, and volunteered at the 2009 Camp in Calabar, Cross River State, as a camp director and will run the first ABO Leadership & Basketball Camp in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.