Brothers For Others is not only a very unique club at Jesuit, but also one of the most popular since its creation at the hands of Dennis Kamara ’13, who established the club with the intent of helping children with Down syndrome and autism. This January, the club is planning something quite special, something that could change the club forever! A basketball tournament!
When asked why they are hosting a tournament, the moderator of Brothers For Others and Jesuit math department co-chair, Mrs. Anne Blackford explained that “the main reason for this event is to raise money for the Autism Speaks charity. This charity raises money for autistic and Down’s syndrome suffering children. We have done events like this in the past with them and were very successful. The charity was very grateful as we raised a substantial amount of money.” She also talked about how fun the event is, saying that “this is also a great way for students to become aware of people with these conditions and why they should be helped. Also, it is going to be a lot of fun; you can even get a chance to win a special prize for first place!”
Structured in a 3-on-3 format, the tournament will be double elimination, giving each team an opportunity to redeem themselves even after slipping up. Each game will last ten minutes on a running clock and will be played on half court.
The event is taking place on Saturday, January 25, 2014. Anyone willing to sign up must do so before the 22nd of January to be allowed to enter the tournament (bear in mind that all spots may be filled by then, so you may want to think about signing up sooner).
There is a signup sheet on Mrs. Blackford’s door for any interested in participating in this thrilling competition. The price to enter is $5 per person, and you must have a full team of three or four players assembled and ready to fight to win all the glory (and of course the special prize)! There will be a total of sixteen teams and a total of sixty-four students playing in the tournament. The winner’s bracket will be playing in the new gym, and losers will face off in the old gym! If you would like to be a big part of this event, but are not a fan of basketball, don’t worry! You can sign up as a time keeper instead (maximum of four time keepers needed).
With all of the anticipation for some good basketball, it is important to remember that the tournament seeks to inform people. Mrs. Blackford again stated that “this is just a small way to make autism aware to, not just Jesuit students, but to the entire community of Jesuit.” She also says that” it’s a very, very fun way to give back” as “you won’t see many other opportunities to make this big of a difference while having this much fun any time soon.”
This is a very important day for not only the Brothers For Others club, but also for the whole school of Jesuit. We hope to see you all there! And remember you’ll get to show off your 3-point shot to all your friends and help kids with autism and Down’s syndrome at the same time!
