Milana (ICC Student stuff Leader)
Introduction
On June 24, ICC held a Basketball Championship. We cooperated with Waseda University’s basketball club team “BIGBEARS”. We first played mini-games (‘freeze tag’, five-on-four ‘passing’ and ‘shoot-out’) as warming up. Next, we divided the participants into 8 teams, with 2 or 3 basketball players on each team. Each team played 4 games and competed for the Champion based on the results of the games and the total number of points scored!
Background and Motivation
The first reason I chose to hold this event is because I felt that international students had few opportunities to play sports. When I was in high school, I had many opportunities to exercise through club activities, but after I became a college student, I had no such opportunities at all and was lacking in exercise. For international students, there are even fewer opportunities to play team sports in a place where they don’t know anyone, and the only way to get involved is to belong to a club which is not easy for them. Actually, ICC held many sports event before the covid-19 happen, but it became fewer and fewer. I think that sporting events are very suitable for intercultural communication event. Through sports, we can communicate without speaking the language, and we can deepen our friendship by working together in unity. It is also a good opportunity to make direct contact with students who belong to Waseda’s club teams. Students who are members of Waseda’s club teams do not have many opportunities to have direct contact with them, such as going to watch their games, so we hope that this event will make them feel more comfortable with the club teams. And since students who belong to club teams are usually too busy with their team activities to have a chance to experience intercultural communication, I think this is a mutually beneficial event that provides them with this valuable opportunity.
The second reason I chose to hold this event as my first event at ICC is because of my special connection with Nanami-san. We first met during my first year of high school, where we played on the same basketball team—she was the team manager. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we didn’t have much time to spend together.
Three years later, I met Nanami again at ICC. When I applied and got hired as a student staff leader (SSL), I was pleasantly surprised to get a message from Nanami. To my delight, she became my mentor at ICC, and we could spend a lot of time together organizing various events like the Starbucks event, the Swiss event, and the supporter party. She was so kind and taught me everything. I can’t thank her enough. Since I decided to study abroad from this summer and Nanami will graduate university next spring, this event will be the last one we can host together.
To remember our time together and all that she did for me, I decided to organize a basketball event which is our special connection♡
image by author
image by ICC
The Event
On the event day, Waseda Arena was full of participants. There were 44 participants and more than ten supporters from the Waseda University varsity basketball club. We divided everyone into eight teams with 2 or 3 club players on each team. Each team played four games and competed for the Champion based on number of wins and the total points scored! All players from beginners to advanced enjoyed playing basketball while being supported by the basketball team. Everyone played for the championship as one team, regardless of gender. Through basketball, participants were able to make relationships and practice intercultural communication.
What I remember most was the way the participants worked together to understand each other through basketball, despite any language barrier. After the event, we asked participants to fill out a questionnaire and almost all said they were satisfied with the event. Many of the participants were very happy to have the opportunity to play basketball and to be involved with the basketball team. They were also very grateful to the basketball club for their kindness and guidance during the event. I’m so glad to reach the goal of intercultural communication through basketball. I hope that basketball events will continue to be held by ICC in the future.
image by ICC
image by ICC
Special Thanks
Thank you to the Waseda University basketball club members, FT Marshall, Nanami and other ICC staff for helping me produce this event! I really appreciate your kind cooperation!
image by ICC
image by ICC
