12-Year-Old Transforms San Francisco Squares with Request for Basketball Hoops

Mateo Bianchotti is 12 years old, the El Ceibo shirt on and his eyes shine much brighter at night. A year ago he starred in the anecdote of his life, with which he changed many places in San Francisco

Intelligent and bold, he decided to write a letter to the Neighborhood Center and request that they put up basketball hoops in one of the three plazas in the José Hernández neighborhood. What he did not take into account is the repercussion that his request would have.

It was almost 1:00 p.m. on July 19, 2022 when Facundo Campazzo, the best current Argentine basketball player, replicated the image of Mateo’s letter on his social networks. The reactions were not long in coming: a flood.

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“I remember a friend told me: ‘Look, Campazzo reacted to your letter’!” Mateo tells La Voz, smiling.

With that gesture from Campazzo, the news passed to the media. And the word came from the municipal government that quick reflexes decided to make that field that Mateo dreamed of. But it was not the only one because the program “Basketball in your neighborhood, play with friends” was launched, which already has six 3×3 basketball courts (half of the “normal” ones) plus a reconditioned traditional one.

The fashionable “orange”

The kid knows it: he did something big, something that changed the meaning of the squares in San Francisco.

That is no small thing because in eastern Cordoba it is a deeply rooted sport. In fact, there are neighborhoods that have spaces for basketball that are always full on weekends.

Mateo, in the square, with the basketball. (The voice)

With a shy smile, Mateo takes stock of what happened: “I think it’s great, from a proposal to build a little field in my neighborhood, it became something that means that there are many more throughout the city. I went to most of the opening events and my friends from the club accompany me. Sometimes when I go to play they recognize me”.

In many squares in the country it is typical and even expected that there is a soccer field, even if it is improvised, where the boys play. However, since the 3×3 basketball were inaugurated, in San Francisco the way of seeing this sport has changed for the little ones and also for young people and adults who are encouraged to shoot hoops.

“With this of the small courts, whenever I pass by one I see someone playing. It’s good, and I like that it’s 3×3. In the neighborhood I always use it, I play with the boys and it helped me a lot to practice basketball, it was a great gift for Children’s Day when they said they were going to do it”, says Mateo.

At home they say that if he is not there or at school it is because he is shooting hoops in the neighborhood square.

The 3×3 basketball courts that Mateo dreamed of are now seen in many squares in San Francisco (La Voz)

New wishes, forward

The courts are already there and they continue to be requested from different neighborhoods. At almost every opening ceremony, Mateo is there and always expresses his pride that such a simple request has benefited all the kids in San Francisco.

“Now we are thinking of organizing a basketball tournament on the courts in all the neighborhoods for boys so that they can have prizes and spend time and make friends,” he says.

His father César Bianchotti looks at him with pride. “If he is not here he always goes to the court; the parents come and leave the children playing and tell them that if they take time to come back, they should come to Mateo’s house”, he comments.

2023-08-18 23:45:05
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