AAU THe Right Way

In an effort to nix the unequal “pay-to-play” model, which keeps girls of color from participating in competitive sports, Shooting Touch Boston (STB) provides year-round travel basketball via the Amatuer Athletic Union (AAU), 100% free-of-charge to all STB athletes. Elementary, middle and high school girls involved in STB’s “AAU The Right Way” partake in bi-weekly basketball practices, periodic weekend tournaments, and (with the support of STB staff) have the opportunity to engage in the college recruitment process with the hopes of receiving financial aid to attend university. All AAU The Right Way athletes partake in weekly health enrichment provided by STB staff and local health and well-being partners. 

Program OBJECTIVES

  • Provide girls of color with equal opportunity to participate in high-level sport programming

  • Improved health and well-being of girls of color

  • Increased self-esteem, efficacy, and agency of girls of color

  • Increased sense of togetherness, self-perception, and morale of girls of color 

  • Expose girls of color to college scholarship opportunities

Program Outcomes

Provided 50 girls (grades 3-12) with a competitive, 5-month basketball season, inclusive of bi-weekly practices and 14 weekend tournaments

  • Provided 50 girls (grades 6-12) with free athletic gear 

  • Provided 50 girls (grades 6-12) with weekly health educational lessons/activities

  • Provided 50 girls (grades 6-12) with 3 team building sessions

  •  62% of AAU The Right Way athletes are at, or above the national average concerning “Academic Motivation” (Social-Emotional Development, PEAR Institute)

  •  77% of AAU The Right Way athletes are at, or above the national average concerning “Relationships with Peers,” “Empathy, and “Trust” (Social-Emotional Development, PEAR Institute)

  •  83% of high school girls are happy with their life trajectory 

“We talk about things like racial inequality at Shooting Touch, and at the same time have an athletic program to fall back on. It’s different. I don’t think I would have been part of an AAU basketball program if Shooting Touch wasn’t here.”

Interested in joining AAU the Right Way? Contact Shooting Touch’s Director of Domestic Programming & Strategy, Ugo Nwaigwe-Hirschman, at ugo@shootingtouch.com.