A significant achievement took place on Saturday, March 16th when Chelsea’s eighth grade boys’ basketball team captured the Shamrock Tournament championship. Eleven young athletes from our community earned this victory, marking what I believe is just the start of many more triumphs ahead for Chelsea youth.
Since the opening day of practice, I have consistently emphasized to our young people that academics must come before athletics. The foundation of this basketball program rests on academic excellence, discipline, sportsmanship, dedication, and persistence. When our athletes embrace these principles, they will find success both in the classroom and on the court. The young people of Chelsea possess tremendous potential in both areas. Adults, mentors, and volunteers throughout Chelsea can help unlock this potential by offering guidance and instilling strong values.
My background includes being a former Chelsea High School student athlete, a paraprofessional at a Chelsea Elementary School, and now a coach. Through these roles, I aim to transform the culture surrounding youth in our city. I have discovered that sports—basketball in particular—can be a powerful way to connect with young people in our community. My vision is to provide them with hope, excitement, and something meaningful to pursue from an early age. By building a foundation of community, loyalty, persistence, and hope through basketball, I believe our student athletes will carry these values into their daily lives. However, realizing this vision requires community participation. Every member of Chelsea, regardless of age, must believe in and support this mission. Our young athletes need additional parents and mentors committed to this shared goal. Open dialogue among parents, mentors, and children about academic, athletic, and personal matters is essential. Each child deserves a network of adults invested in their success and guiding them forward. When we work together as a community, we can become a powerful force on the court, in classrooms, and throughout our neighborhoods.
Invested community members recognize that dedicating time and energy to our youth is necessary for Chelsea’s future. Ultimately, it comes down to the children. Keeping our local talent within Chelsea allows us to build something meaningful for the city, our public schools, and our students. Over my years in Chelsea, I have observed many students departing the Chelsea Public Schools upon reaching middle or high school. I want parents to feel confident sending their children through our public school system. The Chelsea Public School Department has strong leadership working diligently to ensure our children receive quality education. Our teachers understand what it takes for young people to achieve academic and social success. Leaders like Joe Mullaney at Chelsea Public High School, Andy O’Brien at Eugene Wright Middle School, and Adele Lubarsky at Edgar F. Hooks Elementary School demonstrate the commitment and effort necessary to help all students reach their academic potential. I have faith in Chelsea’s educators and staff, and I encourage all community members to share this confidence.
Our basketball program has achieved considerable success over the past month as the young athletes have demonstrated their commitment to learning and growth. Despite being assembled just one month ago, this traveling team has already impressed me with their accomplishments and trajectory. We have competed against highly skilled teams throughout Massachusetts in two tournaments. We finished third at the Reggie Lewis Tournament in Boston and most recently won the Shamrock Tournament in Billerica. The energy and enthusiasm displayed by both players and parents throughout these competitions clearly contributed to our success. As their coach and mentor, I felt genuine pride in their performance, and their dedication both on the court and in the classroom made our achievements possible as a team and community. Both tournament organizers have already invited us to return next year and have requested that we bring additional teams to participate.
My objective for the coming year is to establish fifth grade, sixth grade, and seventh grade teams alongside our current eighth grade squad. I want to create a traveling team competing in the North Shore League against other programs in the greater Boston area. Additionally, I plan to develop Greater Boston Basketball Club AAU teams for our youth. Young people who work hard deserve recognition for their positive contributions, not just exposure to negative media coverage. There are far more positive stories than negative ones, yet our community often focuses on the latter. This needs to change. I will maintain high standards for all participants in our program. The young athletes will develop into community leaders whose conduct and commitment inspire their peers and fellow competitors. Leaders demonstrate their values through their actions, and as these young people mature, they can mentor younger children throughout Chelsea. We will hold open tryouts to give every interested child an opportunity to compete and make a team. I want to include every child with potential who is willing to work hard. With additional support, I can establish B teams so that players who do not make the A team can still participate in the program. These programs will operate year-round, keeping our youth engaged and focused. Michelle Lopez has done excellent work with the CYBL program, and I want to build upon that foundation. We can support both CYBL and traveling teams simultaneously.
Our young people benefit from competing against teams outside Chelsea and beyond. As long as they demonstrate the same commitment to education and discipline that they show on the playing field, I will provide every resource available to support their success. By working together as a community, we can equip them with the tools they need to thrive in life and college. I returned to Chelsea after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with the goal of mentoring our youth. Three years ago, I was fortunate to volunteer as an assistant with Jay Siegal, the varsity basketball coach at Chelsea High School, which gave me valuable perspective on what our community needs. I want to continue expanding these efforts to help Chelsea’s young people stay on the right track. I want my teams and players recognized for athletic excellence, academic achievement, and strong character both on and off the court. Building something lasting takes time and deliberate steps, but I am encouraged by our progress. If we unite as a community, we can achieve these goals and ensure that Chelsea’s children experience success in academics and athletics.
Best Regards,
Abbas Abdo
Paraprofessional- Edgar F. Hooks School
Varsity Assistant Basketball Coach- Chelsea High School