Former Boston Celtics player and Hall of Famer Bill Russell and the entire basketball team should be the rule, not the exception. By providing children with the opportunity to attend basketball camps in refurbished parks, through a partnership with the gas and electric company NStar, the athletes are making good of the intrinsic obligation they have as sports stars — and role-models.
Massachusetts children who live in the communities that NStar services will be able to participate in the program. Started in January 2000 as Russell’s brainchild, the program will make basketball more affordable for area families, said Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford).
More professional athletes should ally themselves with worthwhile charities and community organizations because it helps to offset the negative image that many people have of athletes as greedy, money-hungry individuals. Communities tend to hail professional athletes as hometown heroes when they show their genuine concern and interest by playing active roles in local organizations and events.
All professional athletes should commit to investing their time and part of their earnings into community organizations, especially those that work with children. They should make this commitment not because they have to, but because they should feel compelled to help those children — who watch and admire them — to have access to increased opportunities to excel. Many athletes have had people in their lives open doors that were previously closed.
Russell, for example, can identify with the children he is helping in the program because he grew up playing in neighborhood playgrounds. “If things like this can change the life of one child, then I am for it 100 percent,” Russell said. He understands the importance of the program he said, because playing basketball can also instill invaluable lessons about teamwork.
Many other athletes and professional sports teams, including the Boston Red Sox, have partnered with local organizations. This situation should become the norm among athletes because they should strengthen and maintain their ties with their fans and the communities supporting them.
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