Lithuania is a small country with a huge, beating heart and I will be forever proud of my heritage. To me, Lithuania is a dignified place where people stand up for what they believe in; and we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of our potential.

Thinking about celebrating our 100-year  restored independence anniversary is that 100 years ago was 1918. When you look back at the history of Lithuania, you may see times of Russian or German occupation, yet still, we are celebrating 100 years. That means that despite how hard things got, and how oppressing other nations and people may have been to our ancestors, we Lithuanians never gave up our idea of freedom. We never gave in and we never wavered. It’s an incredible thing and something all Lithuanians can be proud of. That is one of the reasons I came up with an idea to start program „The Basketball Power“.

The BP started with an idea to bring the model of Hoops 4 Hope in Zimbabwe to Lithuania. When we all began exploring the idea, there were some doubts about whether or not this idea would fit culturally. Volunteerism was a relatively new idea. Sport for mental and emotional development, rather than athletic development may not have made sense to a lot of people. Giving up your time in exchange for no material benefit was foreign. Basketball Power is an amazing program where the kids are exposing themselves to life-changing experiences, and I’m grateful for that. But what Basketball Power really means to me is that we young Lithuanians get it. Giving back to one’s community is not a cultural thing that only works in some places. Sharing your time and working for free are things that anyone can do. BP is a sign that young Lithuanians care about each other and their collective future and that of Lithuania.

I imagine Basketball Power after 5 years will be one arm of a much larger youth development organization in Lithuania. With our model, I believe we can impact the lives of thousands of young Lithuanians and am excited to help achieve this goal in any way I can.

To all Basketball Power youth, I hope that by now you understand the power that you have in the world. Every day, there will be countless opportunities to make the world a better place for yourself and all of those around you, and no one can take that away from you. This requires no material wealth, a simple smile can brighten someone’s day. When you think about your coaches and all of the extended Basketball Power family, I hope that you know how much we support and believe in you. You each represent the potential for something great and we’re excited to be a part of your futures.

Peter Kazickas, Founder of  the Basketball Power program