b'HELPING HOOPSIn action with Helping Hoops.Photos: Meredith OSheaHelping Hoops Teuila Reid is fun to be near in the stands,Caleb, like all the participants in this Helping Hoops watching basketball. Bounce session, lives with a neurodiverse condition; in Teuilas eyes shine and there is pure enjoyment in herhis case, autism. voice as she observes a teenager standing still on theCaleb has had so much development and socialisation baseline, hands half in pockets, with his eyes glued to aimprovement through basketball, Teuila said. Caleb training drill being run by Coach Omar. of 10 years ago was not the Caleb we are seeing today. When he first came here, Teuila says, he couldntHe has challenges with implementing instructions and look anybody in the eye, he couldnt stay still, he was ain remembering details, such as how to catch public constant threat to make a break for the street, to try totransport, but he has worked so hard and we have as well, take off. Now hes happy to be here, hes engaged, and youwith him for that whole time.can tell he feels safe. Coach Omar Coles is ex-military out of Cleveland in the Moments later, another rangy redhead youth movesUSA and carries an air of natural authority. down the court, dribbling skilfully, as another youth runsHe became interested in how sport could help people backward, defending.living with disabilities while studying aikido in Montreal. Thats Caleb, Teuila says of the ball carrier. Hes 19Too poor to afford classes, Omar paid his way by and hes a Special Olympics athlete now, in basketball.helping train blind participants, and was struck by how Hes training to be a coach, so were mentoring him inpowerful it was that these students, who were all blind, a targeted way. Hell move into a paid coaching role,felt empowered because they were learning to defend hopefully at the start of 2025, thanks to the Newsboysthemselves, he said. Foundation.8NEWSBOYS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2024'