One Team participants promise Zalgiris ambassadors – no more crimes 0

One Team – Euroleague Basketball’s social responsibility program organized together with Zalgiris Kaunas – reached its midway point. This season Zalgiris renewed the collaboration and noble-minded friendship with the youngsters from Kaunas regional probation service.

A twelve-week session took place every Tuesday at the practice court of Zalgirio Arena where the kids not only played basketball, but also developed their social and life skills. The biggest impact was made through the activities joined by One Team ambassadors and Zalgiris big men Antanas Kavaliauskas and Brandon Davies.

They contributed to reach the goals of Zalgiris’s One Team program – to help young people find purposeful goals, develop a stronger sense of values and create positive habits of behavior.

“It is my second year as One Team ambassador and I am happy to meet another group of young people. They had made some bad choices in their lives, but through the sessions we encouraged them to take responsibilities and plan their future. I am really hopeful that these 3 months of continuous effort will inspire the youngsters for new chapter in their lives” – said Kavaliauskas.

Zalgiris players were not alone in the sessions as One Team participants also met with sports psychologist Aiste Zemaityte, “Kauno Zalgiris” football team and the players from Dukes Kaunas, the American football club. The youngsters were the part of One Team Games during EuroLeague Round 13 where they tried a one-off sport – an integrated basketball game together with players in wheelchairs.

The final meeting with the youngsters from Kaunas regional probation service was a special one as each of the participants received a diploma from Zalgiris players. They also filled a survey where two thirds of the group told that they learned something new during the sessions while 72 percent acknowledged that it helped them to set the goals in life with one of the main marked achievements – not to commit crimes anymore.

Now Zalgiris Kaunas and its One Team ambassadors will concentrate on the work with the new group from the Kaunas juvenile prison.

Zalgiris Kaunas initiates One Team project since 2013. The club aims to set an example for other clubs as well. Zalgiris Kaunas good performance in One Team was recognized not only by EuroLeague with One Team award but also by gaining new sponsor for the program – RAMIRENT. A company which provides a broad product portfolio of high quality and unmanned reliable rental equipment in 10 countries in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe and also supports socially responsible initiatives.