I chose the Big Bang Ballers association because I was very touched by their project. Big Bang Ballers is an association that uses basketball as an engine for social integration and cohesion.

It was Céline Coste, a Decathlon sales assistant at the Echirolles store, who told me about the project and motivated me to embark on this adventure. Céline had already taken part in one of their humanitarian projects in Senegal.

The sporting events at Decathlon, in particular FONDATION DAY, helped raise awareness of the association. We set up games and sports activities in the store parking lot. This experience was repeated twice for the back-to-school season.

An integration program was then set up to recruit young athletes from Grenoble's suburbs, both able-bodied and disabled. As the store is located 3 km from sensitive areas, it was also essential for us to reach out to disadvantaged young people and instill in them the educational and sporting values of Big Bang Ballers.

Our "a court for everyone" project was carried out to build an innovative basketball court to accommodate the beneficiaries of the Big Bang Ballers association's solidarity programs, as well as street players from the Grenoble area.

Through basketball and sports games, we hope to encourage access to sport for all, and promote the educational values of sports. But also, to use sport and its practice as a vehicle for encounters, promoting social interaction and learning about citizenship.

Thanks to the twice-yearly training/meet-the-professional sessions, the young people had access to help in writing their CVs and covering letters, as well as preparing for interviews. The beneficiaries appreciated this, as it made it easier for many of them to find internships, since they had been advised and coached beforehand.

Told by Karine Terrien, teammate at Decathlon.

I chose the Big Bang Ballers association as I was very moved by their project. Big Bang Ballers is an association that uses basketball as a driver of integration and social cohesion.

I heard about it from Céline Coste, a Decathlon salesperson at the Echriolles store, and she motivated me to set off on this adventure. Before that, Céline had already taken part in one of their humanitarian projects in Senegal.

Sports activities at Decathlon, especially the FOUNDATION DAY event, helped us to get to know this association. We set up fun sports events in the store car park. This experience was repeated twice for the new club year.

An integration programme was then set up to recruit young athletes from the Grenoble suburbs, able-bodied or otherwise. As the store was 3 km from problem areas, it was also essential for us to open up to vulnerable young people and share the Big Bang Ballers' educational and sporting values with them.

Our project "a court for all" was carried out in order to build an innovative basketball court for the beneficiaries of the Big Bang Ballers' solidarity programmes, and the street players from the Grenoble urban area.

Through basketball and sport games, we would like to encourage access to sport for all and promote the educational values of practising sport. But we also want to use sport and the playing of it as a way to meet new people, promote togetherness and learn about citizenship.

Thanks to the training/pro meeting sessions held twice a year, young people had access to help with writing their CV and covering letter, as well as preparing for interviews. The beneficiaries appreciated that as it enabled many of them to find internships more easily, as they had been advised and coached first.

Story told by Decathlon teammate Karine Terrien.