Dylan Scott | July 29, 2020, 9:57 PM
Local standouts start Crossover for Change
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COLORADO SPRINGS — More than 8,000 miles separate Colorado Springs from the country of Uganda, but when it's a cause near and dear to your heart, no distance is too far.
"It's a huge opportunity and I think all of us involved get the opportunity to build relationships with these girls and teach them and learn from them and play a sport we all love," Colorado Springs School's Mia Chavez said. Spearheaded by standout female athletes from the Colorado Springs School, St. Mary's, and Coronado, the Crossover for Change foundation was created earlier this year. "I had a lot of success and built a lot of relationships being able to share that with other people, it means a lot," St. Mary's senior Josephine Howery said. It's mission: To foster confidence, empowerment, and leadership for young women in Uganda through the sport of basketball. "We just want to make the greatest change we can and really make a beneficial change in these girl's lives," Coronado senior Anna Griffin said. Having raised more than $14,000 of their $26,000 goal, the money will be used towards the creation of courts, new equipment, uniforms, and clinics for two local schools in need of a serious assist. |
"I know that the girls in Uganda that we're going to work with are going to benefit from the lessons learned through basketball," Colorado Springs School's Kate Griffin said.
Next summer, these talented ladies hope to make the trip to Africa to assist and instruct players on the newly created courts. "Just the opportunity to be on the court and play with these girls is what I'm most looking forward to," Howery said. It's an ambitious goal for some of Southern Colorado's finest stars but one they plan to continue to pour their time and resources into. Bringing their passion to less fortunate communities in Africa and possibly around the world. "If we can get that done and help girls in Uganda with their confidence and make the life that they want we'd love to bring it to other developing countries too and build it beyond there," Coronado senior Paige Richter said. If you'd like to learn more about the foundation, its members or find out how you can donate, click the link: Crossover For Change Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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 (Photo courtesy of Lisa Voight/Colorado Springs School)
Basketball has a way of connecting people on a global scale. The uniform rules and poetic simplicity of the game has a way of eliciting the same emotional reactions in kids all over, whether it's from the United States or a country such as Uganda.
Recently, a group of of girls basketball players from Colorado decided that they could use basketball as a means of connecting with those in countries less fortunate than America. Spearheaded by Colorado Springs School assistant girls basketball coach Caleb Strickland, the Crossover for Change Foundation was established. The mission is straightforward: "Fostering confidence, empowerment and leadership for young women in Uganda through the sport of basketball." "Eric Richter - the father of Cameron Richter, one of the girls involved - has been going over and volunteering in hospitals and doing workshops in western Uganda for about seven years now," Strickland said. "Somebody gave him Dennis Katungye's number, the coach we partnered with over there." Katungye told Richter there was a need for basketball work to be done through camps if he knew of any coaches that wanted to be involved. Richter did one better and went after players. Girls from the Colorado Springs School and a couple of other schools in the area jumped at the chance to provide online clinics to women's players in Uganda. His two daughters Paige and Cameron were among those to join and then other students quickly got involved. "I was excited to jump at the chance," CSS junior Mia Chavez said. "We have a chance to have such a big impact on such a small group. I knew it was going to be great to be a part of the process." The workload to develop the foundation increased in March and already the players have film and sent a collection of instructional videos to two schools that are participating in the program. They're aiming to travel to Uganda next summer to run on-site camps. "I thought it was a cool idea and a great cause to head to Africa and help young girls," CSS senior Sasha Malone said. "It's awesome to have young girls teach younger students." The foundation is going well above and beyond teaching skills. It is working to fundraise in order to get participating schools outfitted with new equipment and uniforms as well as building some facilities. There has already been $11,000 raised which has allowed excavation to begin on a basketball court for the Immaculate Heart Girls School. When the court is completed, basketball will become an official sport at the school and the efforts here in Colorado will have had a heavy hand in that. As much as the game has helped Chavez, Malone, and other standout players such as recent Kodiak graduate Kate Griffin and her sister Anna (Coronado '20) as well as St. Mary's standout Josephine Howery, the Class 3A girls player of the year, they're all appreciative that they can use the game they love to enrich others' lives. "Basketball, like any sport, isn't just a game where you get to play and have fun," Chavez said. "You can help someone build character and I think there are so many different ways that you can use basketball to improve different parts of your life." These girls have learned that lesson first-hand while competing for their high school teams and they have no interest in slowing down when it comes to helping others in less fortunate situations feel the same benefits. 
Coach Dennis Katungye and his teams from Maryhill High School in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of Sasha Malone/Crossover for Change)
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Colorado Springs School girls basketball players launch nonprofit organization
Dan Mohrmann | July 20, 2020, 7:45 AM
(Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)
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When asked, “What did you do during the Covid-19 pandemic?,” a group of young
athletes from various Colorado Springs high schools can proudly declare how they took the initiative to launch a non-profit organization called Crossover for Change. “It evolved out of a passion for the game of basketball, connections in Uganda, and a desire for impacting the lives of young people less fortunate than ourselves,” commented Caleb Strickland, chair of the board and assistant girls’ basketball coach from The Colorado Springs School (CSS). Due to gendered expectations in Uganda, young girls find it challenging to remain in school or pursue a career, and their exposure to life lessons through sport are limited. Crossover for Change aspires to reverse this trend by promoting leadership, providing education, and enhancing self-esteem for young women through instructional videos and lessons, as well as in-person basketball camps. Two camps are planned for Uganda in June 2021 at Maryhill High School in Mbarre and Immaculate Heart Girls School in Nyakibale. In a time of quarantines, masks, and social distancing, this opportunity has not only created a means to shape connections with local teammates and friends but also with like-minded girls 8,597 miles from Colorado. Since April, these athletes have devoted time and energy toward launching Crossover for Change and are passionate about its mission--fostering confidence, empowerment, and leadership for young girls in Uganda through the sport of basketball. CSS All-State athlete and ‘20 graduate, Kate Griffin, stated that “it’s interesting to see how non-profit organizations work, and having a position on the board makes me very proud. I’m learning leadership and delegation skills, as well as fundraising and the finesse of asking people for money. This is a good test of commitment and follow through, and it’s real world stuff.” Anna Griffin ‘20 was a stellar All-State athlete at Coronado H.S., and she is excited to be joining efforts with twin sister Kate on this latest endeavor for change. Besides developing a mission statement and bylaws, along with designing a logo and website, this group has filmed and edited a collection of instructional basketball videos for the two participating schools, providing foundational skills and concepts before projected camps next summer. Plans include providing video lessons and conversations relative to self-image, nutrition, hydration, and goal-setting in hopes of inspiring Ugandan girls to beat the odds, continue their education, prioritize their health, and pursue personal careers. K. Griffin commented, “I cannot contain my excitement about traveling to Uganda next summer and helping these girls. My hope is that sport can transform their lives as it has mine. I am super pumped to be a part of this organization and what we stand for, impacting young girls’ lives who lack the resources while planting seeds for a continued impact when we are gone.” This group of young athletes is very cognizant of finding a healthy balance while laying the foundation, the seeds for the future. “We are in search of ways to make a difference,” added Griffin, “but without imposing our lifestyle and culture on them. We anticipate learning as much from them as they do from us, and we want to be careful not to be too forceful while also listening to their needs.” As part of the initiative the foundation is currently fundraising to construct a new basketball court for one of the schools, a first in this rural area of western Uganda. Over $11,000 has been raised toward the initial goal of $26,000, and excavation is underway on the Immaculate Heart Girls School’s basketball court with plans to pour asphalt before the monsoon season. Once the regulation-size court is complete, basketball will be introduced as a new sport for the girls’ school. CFC will also furnish the teams with new uniforms, shoes, practice gear, water bottles, and backpacks filled with school supplies and necessities. With their focus on the future, Crossover for Change would like to see their seeds scatter across Africa and other continents. To assist with messaging and the mission, the group has proudly partnered with IVUmed that was founded in 1995 to address the global shortage of urological care and medical training in low-resource areas of the world. CSS parent, Dr. Eric Richter, has participated in various IVU surgical sessions in Uganda where he met coach Dennis Katungye. These two fans of basketball joined efforts on the vision for bringing the sport to Uganda’s young females, helping to relieve the burdens placed on them and fostering hope for better, more prosperous futures. |
When Dr. Richter approached the CSS girls’ basketball team on which his daughter
Cameron is a sophomore guard, some embraced the opportunity. “Dad has been traveling to Uganda for several years with IVU, and last year he pitched the idea to me about taking basketball to the villages where he visits. I’m very excited about this opportunity and how it’s coming together. I love basketball and really enjoy giving back to others, especially in other countries.” His eldest daughter Paige recently graduated at the top of her class at Coronado High School and will attend Brown University on a gymnastics scholarship. Both girls are actively involved with inaugurating Crossover for Change, serving as board members along with other athletes from Colorado Springs: Kate Griffin ‘20 (CSS); Mia Chavez ‘22 (CSS); Sasha Malone ‘22 (CSS); Anna Griffin ‘20 (Coronado); and Josephine Howery ‘20 (St. Mary’s). Howery, an All-State guard and Player of the Year on the St. Mary’s (3A) state championship team, recently joined the CFC efforts for the opportunity to give back through sport. She explained, “I expect to gain and build life-long relationships. What is so fun about this opportunity is that I get to connect with girls through the language of basketball. It seems like a once in a lifetime experience to travel and do what I love and share it with other young women. To see other girls experience the joy of sports, while having a sense of belonging in their communities and pride of who they are as people, would make me feel as though I was successful when I leave.” Besides the leadership from Dr. Richter, CSS basketball coaches Caleb Strickland and Vicki Vaughan are providing support as board members. Other CFC board members include CSS parents Lorie Malone and Lisa Voight, Dennis Katungye from Maryhill H.S. and Cathy Boswell, a Team USA 1984 Olympic gold medalist in basketball. The CFC board is an impressive lineup of experienced coaches and experts, but even more inspiring is the group of young athletes who have committed to finding a way to help others in a time of need and uncertainty. “Crossover for Change has the ability to make quite a large impact on the young girls from Uganda in several areas of their lives. Building a foundation for basketball, fostering lifelong relationships, and further developing character are just some of the main goals,” added CSS junior point guard, Mia Chavez. “Fostering relationships is the area in which I see the most impact occurring. After forming these connections, we are not only able to teach basketball and all that it encompasses, but we are also able to promote character development, such as leadership, empowerment, and confidence. I am excited to see all of the ways in which Crossover for Change will leave an impact on everybody involved.” Kate Griffin concludes, “I am so proud of everyone for taking the time to put this together. It’s not easy and can be daunting at times, but everyone on the team has big hearts. I’m surrounded by people who know the world is bigger than us. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to work on this with my team, a group who understands how much it means to give back to those less privileged than us. People are counting on us to be successful, so I’m invested in doing my very best.” No doubt, these girls will get the job done through excellence, hard work, and perseverance in a time when giving back is the best self medicine for the soul. To learn more about Crossover for Change, please visit our website at www.crossoverforchange.org. If you have an interest in making a personal donation, please visit https://www.ivumed.org/donations/crossover_for_change/. 
Coach Dennis Katungye and his girls’ basketball teams from Maryhill High School in Mbarre,
Uganda. Contact: Caleb Strickland, Chairperson
Address: 1414 Howard Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Phone: (502) 415-5333 Email: crossoverforchange@gmail.com Website: crossoverforchange.org |
Vicki Vaughan | June 14, 2020
