NBA legend Yao Ming inspires rural kids at national tournament

The tournament brought together 48 rural primary school teams, along with more than 1,000 teachers and students from 17 provinces, autonomous regions and Hong Kong.

The Yao Foundation Basketball Season was launched in 2012. It was the first public welfare project in China tailored specifically for Chinese youth.

Yao, a basketball legend and chairman of the foundation, summed up the mission: "The qualities cultivated through basketball will support everyone throughout every stage of their future growth," he said.

Beyond the competition, participants explored some rich local cultural heritage, including Nuo mask making and traditional handicrafts of the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups. The activities allowed the young players to get some hands-on experience with Chinese ethnic cultures.

Behind the national tournament is a long-term effort by Communist Youth League organizations to promote sports education in rural areas. Since 2019, Hubei has sent hundreds of sports volunteers to rural schools to provide basketball training. The program has expanded from 33 schools to nearly 300 across 17 counties, cities and districts, benefiting more than 170,000 rural children. Volunteers provided more than 480,000 hours of service.

As one of the key program areas, Enshi has sent 100 volunteers to 55 rural schools since 2023 to support basketball education.

The Communist Youth League Enshi committee, one of the organizers, coordinated efforts by local governments to ensure the smooth operation of the tournament, including scheduling, volunteer services and safety support.