The Pi Lambda Phi fraternity and the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority conducted a three-on-three basketball tournament on campus that raised $1,000 for the IAYS’ Game On! Youth Sports program.

   “We decided that we wanted this tournament to promote the sport of basketball both within and outside of the MIT community,” said Yansui Wang, a member of the Pi Lamba Phi fraternity who spearheaded the efforts. “When we were searching for a charity sponsor and came across IAYS and Game On! Youth Sports, we realized immediately that this program was a perfect fit for our cause.”

   Game On! Youth Sports provides countries with sports programming for children at the school, after-school and community levels. It gives children the ability to develop sports skills while learning how to make healthy lifestyle decisions and avoid the negative behaviors that lead to crime, violence, drug abuse, obesity and diseases such as HIV and AIDS. 

   The first-ever Tech Tip-Off tournament featured 15 teams, which were asked to donate a minimum of $60 to participate. They also generated additional funds through the sale of Gatorade and T-shirts. Tian He, one of the organizers, also made a generous donation of $250. The group benefited from funding from the MIT Large Events Fund that covered most of the cost of renting the gym and supplying volunteer T-shirts. 

   The tournament also featured a skills and three-point shooting competition.

   Joining Wang on the tournament organizing committee were Vijay Umapathy of Pi Lambda Phi and Anne Liu of Kappa Alpha Theta, as well as Kevin Sung and Ken Endo. A total of 30 members of Pi Lamba Phi assisted with the event.  

   “We had a lot of fun running this tournament,” Wang said. “Thanks to our basketball savvy volunteers and organizers, the event ran smoothly and we received a lot of positive feedback from the players.”

   Based on the tournament’s success – both in terms of the quality of the event and the amount of money raised for Game On! Youth Sports – Wang and his fraternity are looking forward to conducting another tournament next year.

   “I will continue to organize this event,” Wang said. “I hope to make the Tech Tip-Off into a bigger and better annual tradition at MIT. I have plans to raise additional money through corporate sponsors in the future.”