Develop and inspire all young people to become active Citizens of the World.
Create a positive growing environment where all young people can nurture our values, working towards their vision.
VALUES
The 7 Core Values of Wolfpack Nation are applied not only in basketball, but in every aspect of daily life. This is the only way we can support our Pack to achieve their vision. Throughout the projects, each value is taken into life and applied to our 4 pillars:
Basketball, the Environment, Animals and Human Beings.
Active Members
Volunteers
Pack
PROJECTS
Basketball Stimulation Project
Since 2004, over 360 children a year from 12 primary schools in vulnerable neighbourhoods of Antwerp (Belgium) take part in regular basketball competitions led by Wolfpack Nation in collaboration with Sporting A. Each school has a team of qualified Value Coaches who use basketball as a means to apply the Wolfpack Values. In fact teams do not only get points from scoring in the matches, but also from playing with the values of the programme.
As the popularity of the project grew, many schools introduced their own cheerleading teams who perform at the matches and take part in their own competitions thanks to the Cheerleader Academy Antwerp.
Antwerp Wolfpack Basketball Club
As a progression from their Wolfpack Nation School Team, boys and girls get the chance to compete in the flemmish basketball league (VBL) from U12 to U21. The qualified Team Coaches continue building on the Wolfpack Values with their players as they gain maturity in the programme.
Through Wolfpack Nation’s network, the top performing athletes get chances to develop their basketball potential even further by joining basketball academies, USA Trips, and USA College Education opportunities.
USA Trips
With the vision of supporting children to become active Citizens of the World, Wolfpack Nation thrives to give opportunities to basketball players to receive scholarships and realise their dream of studying and playing basketball in the USA.
When playing in the home country of basketball, the team is faced with the american survival culture: everything is a competition, and everyone fights for it. This helps our Wolfpackers realise what their goal actually is, and what they are willing to do to achieve it.
Basketball Camps
During school holidays, members of Wolfpack Nation have the opportunity to come together in basketball camps, led by Wolfpack Value and Team Coaches. The Packers work on their basketball skills and extend their knowledge of the 7 Values through creative activities.
Bolivia
Wolfpack Nation has worked with organisations in Bolivia to bring the success of the programme in Antwerp to South America. The project was aimed at street children and youth detention centres, bringing basketball and the values to help them get back on the right path.
An exchange was arranged to have a team of Wolfpackers from Belgium visit Bolivia and, the following year, members of Wolfpack Lapaz, Bolivia travelled to Belgium. A Value Coach from Antwerp later spent 6 months in Lapaz to grow the project and provide independence to the local teams.
Due to political imbalances, this project has come to an end. The next step will be working with schools in Bolivia and applying the Antwerp model to reach children within the educational structure.
Values for Success
Wolfpack Nation realises the values that are used in its projects are not only suitable for children, but for everyone. We invite our partners to workshops to learn the Wolfpack way and apply the values in everything that they do, providing personal development opportunities and a way for partners to be actively involved in the project.
Wolfpack Nation’s Values have been academically recognised in a publication by Dr. Zeno Nols (Social change through sport for development initiatives. A critical pedagogical perspective, VUB Press, 2018).
SUCCESS STORIES
Alhassan Barrie
Born in: 1995
Wolfpacker Since: 2005
School:
Basisschool het Plantijntje, Borgerhout, Belgium
Provinciaal instituut Sint-Godelieve, Antwerp, Belgium
University:
Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma, USA
Goshen College, Indiana, USA
Job:
Professional Basketball Player, The Hague, NL
Giving Back:
Every summer when I’m back in Antwerp, I try to help out with practices, camps and events. I also give private workouts to the older Wolfpack kids.
Best Wolfpack Moment:
Too many to be narrowed down to one moment… Two of my favourites are waking up on 1st July knowing that it was the first day of the Wolfpack Summer Camp and the trips to the USA. These really opened our eyes, not only with regard to basketball but also to the culture!
Ferried Naciri
Born in: 1990
Wolfpacker Since: 2010
School:
Rozenberg, Mol, Belgium
Job:
Professional Basketball Coach
Giving Back:
Helping players from all over the world to develop and reach their professional and personal goals.
Best Wolfpack Moment:
Just having had the opportunity to work with the Antwerp Wolfpack for 5 years. The culture and values impacted me and the way I work up to this day.
Remi Janicot
Born in: 1995
Wolfpacker Since: 2007
School:
European School of Mol, Belgium
The Hun School Princeton, NJ, USA
University:
Ursinus College, PA, USA
Boston University, MA, USA
Job:
Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Student
Giving Back:
Actively Involved in local Climate Change Actions.
Best Wolfpack Moment:
Holding a presentation to players at the Wolfpack Summer Camp about my first years in College in the USA.
PARTNERS
We are looking for partners who will integrate into our projects, who can identify with the values of Wolfpack Nation and will join us on our Journey.
…and play your part in developing and inspiring more young people to succeed in becoming active Citizens of the World.
VOLUNTEERS
…for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Rudyard Kipling
THANK YOU!
CONTACT
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ABOUT US
Ron Wolfs
Founder & CEO
Ron played and coached professionally at the highest level, but when he started working in a project with schools in Rotterdam his goals completely changed. He felt the love and passion for helping young children both with their basketball skills and their personal development.
He took his ambitions to Antwerp with Mark Bogaerts to set up the Basketball Stimulation Project and run basketball camps, with the Club, summer trips to the US, Bolivia, and Values for Success growing in the following years.
15 years later, through many different projects our Vision for Wolfpack Nation became clear and our drive is now bigger than ever!
Tom Janicot
Strategic Development Manager
Tom got to know Coach Ron as a player in Belgium where he grew up and immediately felt a bond with Wolfpack Nation. Born in the USA from a french family, growing up in Belgium, studying in the UK and now working and living in Germany, Tom still regularly comes back to share his experiences and carry on working on the Values with the future generations.
With Ron’s vision and Tom’s professional business experience, they form the perfect match for the future of Wolfpack Nation.