Don Bosco Básquet Club aims to expand opportunities in community

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Básquet Club, located in the city of Corrientes, Argentina, is an education and sports project benefiting youth in the region. The project, which started in 2015 as a mini-basketball school, now provides a level of sports training equal to the city’s traditional clubs.

The club began when a group of physical education teachers from the Salesian Pius XI School in Corrientes decided to open an inclusive sports space for younger children. Mariano Bartolucci, one of the founders and current head of the club, said, “The idea originated as a project for students from the Salesian community with the aim of providing them with a space for support and formation inspired by the values of Don Bosco.”

What started with a handful of children between 4 to 12 years old soon expanded to reach children from all over the city. Today, in addition to mini-basketball categories, the club has training categories for men and women, as well as groups for veterans.

Bartolucci said that the Don Bosco Básquet Club offers much more than sports. He noted, “Our goal is to provide an education rich in values and a healthy lifestyle. Sports training is supported by psychologists, doctors and nutritionists, as well as by professional players who share their experiences with the boys and girls of the club.”

Those who teach at the Don Bosco Básquet Club are aware sports are much more than a competition. They use sports as a powerful tool that aids in a youth’s growth and development. Bartolucci added, “Basketball not only trains athletes, but also people. We were born in the heart of the Salesian Institute and, with pride, we can say that we still maintain those values that have inspired us and distinguished us from other clubs.”

Many of the youth who started as students now play a key role in the club as players, coaches, managers or collaborators, demonstrating the sense of belonging and continuity that characterizes the project. Despite not having its own space, the Don Bosco Básquet Club continues to grow. The goal is to own additional facilities so they can expand the sports that are offered and reach more people in the community.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Argentina – The Salesian dream on the basketball court: the history of the Don Bosco Básquet club in Corrientes

Salesian Missions – Argentina

World Bank – Argentina