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Perkins Continues Ambassador Work for Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities
Senegal - 17 April 2008 - Yesterday, NBA great Sam Perkins, while on a mission to Senegal, Africa, for the Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal Foundation (SEEDS), helped launch a new Special Olympics basketball program for the country. The announcement of this new sport for Special Olympics Senegal happened at a press conference at the Institut National de l'Education Populaire et du Sport (INSEPS). The basketball program is a first for the West African Special Olympics Program as the region continues to be a focus of growth for the Special Olympics movement. More than 100,000 athletes now compete year round across the continent.
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"It's truly a privilege to be here in Senegal to launch this important basketball program for Special Olympics," said Perkins. "I've had the pleasure to host and participate in many events and skills camps with Special Olympics through my involvement with the NBA Cares program, but to be here in Senegal to see the eyes of these athletes when you introduce them to the great sport of basketball, many for the first time, is something that touches me deeply and I'll remember for a long time."
Special Olympics Senegal has 70 registered athletes and, with the launch of the basketball program, along with established programs for athletics and aquatics, now provides three sports for athletes to compete.
The PGA of South Africa has committed to provide 30 members each week to teach participants the fundamentals of the game. In addition they will also be involved in the entire event management of the clinics and tournament.
“It's always exciting to launch a new sport or program anywhere in the world,” said Dr. John Dow, Regional Managing Director for Special Olympics Africa. “To have a legend like Sam Perkins here to launch the program and to do it in a place like Senegal that is so receptive and in need of the hope that a program like Special Olympics Senegal provides to people with intellectual disabilities makes it even more exciting. Sam has been a big supporter of Special Olympics and his coming here to launch the basketball program will be something that the athletes will remember for the rest of their lives.”
While in Senegal this week, Perkins met with Professor Hassane Fall, Director of the National Sports Academy, and El Hadj Amadou Dia Ba, Special Olympics Senegal Honorary Chair and silver medalist in the 1988 Summer Olympics. Perkins visited Special Olympics Senegal athletes at both the Estel School and Assedem School for children with intellectual disabilities to share the messages of hope and empowerment that the new basketball program's launch brings to Senegal, and also asked for the African government's support for the new initiative.
The basketball announcement event was attended by the National Sports Director of Senegal, Mrs. Dieynaba Kane; Senegal National Basketball Federation representative Mr. Ousseynou Sall; and representatives from the Ministry of Education, as well as leaders from Special Olympics Senegal and Africa including Lala Aicha Diop, Board Chair, Special Olympics Senegal; M'backe Mademba, National Director, Special Olympics Senegal; Waly N'Diacko Diene, Special Olympics athlete and Member of the Board, Special Olympics Senegal; and Charles Takouet, Manager of Program Development, Special Olympics Africa. Attendees witnessed a skills demonstration and had photo opportunities with Perkins and Special Olympics athletes.
Perkins became involved with Special Olympics through the NBA Cares Program as he participated in multiple basketball clinics around the world. Earlier this month, he was in California, USA where he held a skills camp for athletes with intellectual disabilities. While in California Perkins participated in the celebration of a newly announced partnership between Special Olympics and Safeway grocery stores in which a portion of the money raised during the month of April at Safeway stores in more than 20 U.S. states will be donated to Special Olympics. Additionally, Perkins attended the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai and spoke to world leaders at the Global Summit. Perkins has also participated in humanitarian missions for the U.S. Department of State.
As a basketball player Perkins was drafted fourth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1984 NBA Draft, one slot after the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan. Perkins has enjoyed a wealth of success on the basketball court. He owns an NCAA championship ring and an Olympic gold medal, and he reached the NBA Playoffs in 13 of his 15 pro seasons.
About SEEDS
SEEDS-Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization committed to providing educational opportunities for youth, creating social awareness and encouraging economic development through the vehicle of sports. SEEDS Foundation is the community outreach wing of the organization, which focuses its efforts on serving the Senegalese communities as well as disadvantaged communities in the United States through various social initiatives, service projects and donations. For information on SEEDS, visit http://www.seedproject.org/.
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