CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JAPAN --

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan—On Aug. 10, 2024, over 200 spectators crowded into the stands surrounding the basketball courts in the Gunner’s Fitness Center. The noise of their cheers paired with the sounds of the teams dashing back and forth across the court. Basketball players from across Japan and Korea wait and practice for their game on the sidelines as everyone celebrates the 2nd End of Summer Friendship Tournament.

The Okinawa 1215 Boys and Girls Basketball Club brought The OKI1215-Gold and Scarlet Team, The South Basketball School, SPICE Basketball School, Minatogawa Junior High Boys and Girls Teams, Kuwae Junior High, and the Camp Humphrey Hoops Club Together for competition, celebration, and community between the teams.

“We usually plan this a year out,” said Harold Crawley, Jr., the president of the Okinawa 1215 Basketball Club. He reaches out to teams across the Pacific that have already established strong relationships, as well as teams they haven’t crossed paths with as much, but would like to further their engagement, as long as they share similar values on sportsmanship and teamwork.

“If we can reach out and you can get as many as possible out there so that we are having those engagements, the more enjoyable and better.”

The first of 13 games was the OKI1215 Gold team, dressed in gold and black, versus the Minatogawa Junior High Boys team, sporting gold and white. As team members began warming up for the opening game, players from both teams returned stray balls for each other when their practice shots bounced off the back board. The Minatogawa team showed great speed, which allowed them to steal the ball, but the Gold team were able to make up by shooting more. The game ended with the Gold team winning, 33 to 25.

“The game of basketball has gone global, and everyone’s seen it, from global superstars to things like the NBA, and now the world itself is really enjoying and picking up different styles of basketball,” said Crawley. “When you have these different styles, there's a curiosity of how these different nations play.”

Crawley said events like these are important because communication with our allied nations is vital but there may be some barriers disconnecting us from each other and that basketball is a way to foster the relationships we have.


The second game was the Camp Humphreys Hoops Club against the Minatogawa Junior High Boys team. During this game the Minatogawa team adjusted their play style in compensation for their last game by looking for key positions to recover the ball, which brought them the victory for their game against Humphrey. Audiences also saw great sportsmanship when one of the players had fallen and players from both teams help the injured player to the bench and check if he was well.

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“I saw a lot of determination, and a lot of grit and an exchange of tactics on the way that they actually play,” said Crawley. “You can see both sides adjusting to what the other side was doing. So, when you see that and they do that, they became evident that hey, we're all learning. We're learning something we're picking up something from each other.”

The third game was the OKI1215 Scarlet Team versus the Kuwae Junior High in an all-girls game. Although Scarlet had less players than Kuwae, they held their own throughout the game by using teamwork and communication with the players and their coach. During this game there were not only players from different teams interacting and laughing but the parents in the stands were talking and congratulating each other on how well the children were playing.

“We teach the things that don't take talent,” said Crawley. “Being a good teammate doesn't take talent. Hustling doesn't take talent. Caring for one another doesn't take talent. Communicating with another teammate doesn't take talent. Having respect for the opponent doesn't take talent. Having respect for the referees doesn't take talent. Respect for the game doesn't take talent. If we make those our tenants and we focus on those, everything else will be fine. The reason why I tell them that is because basketball is just a vehicle, and what I want you to learn or get out of this is the tools and the guidance. Being a good human, that's what it's about.”

Following the final game, all teams walked to the Camp Foster Mess Hall to share a meal and celebrate the tournament. The OKI1215 Basketball Club plans to continue reaching out to other organizations for opportunities to continue tournaments and fostering a connection over a game they all love.