TEAMWORK-South Africa

(Concluded in 1997)


Program Summary

For decades, South Africans endured the pain and divisiveness of apartheid. When the rigid racial divisions were legally erased in 1994, South Africans were faced with a radically changed society. In 1992, Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society created TEAMWORK-South Africa in collaboration with the National Olympic Committee of South Africa (NOCSA), the African National Congress and the National and Olympic Sports Congress of South Africa (NOSC). TEAMWORK-South Africa, created by Center Director Richard Lapchick and former TEAMWORK-South Africa Director Kunle Raji, was launched in August of 1993 with the support of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).


Program Operation

Modeled after the successful Project TEAMWORK program in the United States, the mission of TEAMWORK-South Africa is to help South Africans, especially young people, deal constructively with the social challenges and transformations in post-apartheid South African life. Sport is used as a vehicle to achieve this. The linking of the sports development aspect with the racial and ethnic relations improvement program is significant. Most young people identify with sports and sports stars. The provision of recreational facilities and activities serves as an incentive to lure young people off the streets.

In exchange for free access to expanded sports facilities and activities, young people will be required to commit to the principles of TEAMWORK. They will work to be more racially sensitive, stay in school, avoid drug and alcohol use, avoid gang violence and keep off the streets.


TEAMWORK-South Africa and the NBA

A large delegation of NBA players, officials and coaches, Lapchick and Raji traveled to South Africa in 1993 to initiate the program and again in 1994 to continue its work. The players and coaches gave basketball clinics to over 1,000 young people in two townships.

The NBA coaches were Wes Unseld and Lenny Wilkins. The program objectives are also being met through the donation of sports equipment by schools and manufacturing companies; the organization of coaching clinics and exhibition games featuring NBA coaches and players; the sponsorship of American college teams and coaches to tour the country for exhibition games; and the National Consortium's provision of athletic scholarship opportunities for South African athletes to attend colleges and universities in the United States.


Program Support

Colleges and universities from across the United States have contributed to the TEAMWORK-South Africa cause in other ways. In June of 1995, 10 schools donated used sports equipment for the TEAMWORK-South Africa initiative.


Participating NBA Players

• Mike Bantom
• John Crotty
• Alex English
• Patrick Ewing
• Alonzo Mourning
• Dikembe Mutombo


Participating NBA Coaches

• Wes Unseld
• Lenny Wilkins


Institutions Donating Used Sports Equipment for Two Consecutive Years

• California State University at Sacramento
• Canisius College
• University of California at Davis


Other Contributing Schools

• Iona College
• Ithaca College
• Lincoln University
• Northeastern Illinois University
• Southern Methodist University
• University of Georgia
• University of Massachusetts at Lowell