SAN SALVADOR (El Salvador) – A sedentary life is dangerous for our health. Our bodies are meant to move, explore and engage with our surroundings. Not sit on a couch, swipe on a screen, or stare at videos a few centimeters from our eyes for hours. Getting trapped in these motionless long periods corrodes our health over time. While it might seem obvious that these behaviors are harmful and evidence that something needs to change, it’s easier said than done to break these habits.
In El Salvador, there are not many projects dedicated to physical education and mobility awareness. Moreover, there are local beliefs that movement is only associated with sport or training. Therefore, inactive kids - who oftentimes also have heavy screen usage or poor diets - do not see the value in moving their bodies or do not know alternative methods for breaking free from their sedentary ways beyond traditional sporting environments.
FIBA Foundation Youth Leader Adán Escobar and the Federación Salvadoreña de Baloncesto created the Hoops for the Future project to emphasize the importance of movement for children - instilling knowledge at younger ages to promote lifelong behavioral change and inspire overall healthier communities.
LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF MOVEMENT AT A YOUNG AGE
Hoops for the Future teaches young girls and boys, ages 8-12, daily movements to improve their coordination and motor skills. Escobar and team hosted a workshop that combined a range of activities to demonstrate to the kids that there are many different forms of movement, with practical examples of how to stay active outside of sport and training spaces.
The kids took part in attention-focused exercises, community YAKUDOU sessions (dynamic motion with music), animal movements, flow pattern sessions with Omar Marroquin (body movement expert/coach), as well as basketball-specific drills.
The purpose was to show the kids that there is a range of different actFivities to keep your body moving. The collection of activities showed the kids the benefits of physical coordination, while reinforcing socialization and promoting the mental health benefits of finding a flow state within yourself, or “being in the zone”.
Escobar notes the event design was purposely multi-dimensional, adding that “promoting a deeper, integrated movement approach to kids allows them to perform better at whatever activity they chose to practice and feel more confident with themselves.”
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
43 girls and boys attended the mobility workshop alongside 100+ parents. The kids were able to learn the value of mobility training in a fun, non-competitive space and were encouraged to participate regardless of their physical abilities. For some kids, this was even their first introduction to basketball. Each kid was gifted a basketball and jersey as well to promote further involvement with the game.
“The workshop contributed to a healthier community by giving these concepts and exercises, along with the equipment, to be used by coaches, kids and parents for healthier and fun activities - lifestyle for kids,” said Escobar.
CREATING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES
“We are looking forward to making more workshops with other communities from El Salvador to collaborate with local communities and hopefully provide equipment for their academies/communities.”
While inactivity threatens the health of kids and communities, Adán Escobar and the Hoops for the Future project are demonstrating in El Salvador that providing a space for movement and fun – without judgement - can inspire generations to oppose the temptations of a sedentary lifestyle.
FIBA Foundation is excited to continue to work with the team in San Salvador to educate the local communities on how to build healthier habits through hoops and movement.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.