Basketball player scores with charity tournament

Name: Justin Kiczek
Age: 22
Hometown: Morristown

Accomplishment: On Aug, 13, Kiczek was honored by the Morris County freeholders for the basketball tournaments he has organized to raise money for charities. Along with his friend Greg Walsh, he has raised about $6,500 from five tournaments.

How it all began: In the spring of 1999, at the end of their senior year of high school, Kiczek and his friends came up with the idea of holding a basketball tournament in his driveway. One of Kiczek's friends suggested they call the tournament Heaven's Playground, and the name stuck.. Kiczek had help from all his friends, but especially Walsh, who is co-founder of Heaven's Playground, and Brian Skurka. They expected only a few people to come to the tournament, but word spread and ultimately they drew a crowd of 80.

All those who came had such a good time that people suggested again and again that they hold another tournament. The next year, Kiczek decided to turn the tournament into a charity event. The money from that tournament went to Tomorrow's Children's Fund in Hackensack. Seeing a future in the fund-raising tournament, as well as to making it easier for people to donate to the cause, Kiczek made Heaven's Playground into an official nonprofit organization.

The beneficiary: Tomorrow's Children's Fund is a nonprofit that helps families with children who have cancer. The organization offers not only financial aid, but emotional support to those who need it. Helping the families stay strong while treating the child is the fund's goal. Tomorrow's Children's also funds research.

Kiczek said they chose Tomorrow's Children Fund because it was an organization he and his friends had worked with through Seton Hall Preparatory School. He wanted his work to benefit those close in age to himself. "Because we are a program run by youth, we wanted to help young people as well".

Kiczek worked for other charitable causes including Habitat for Humanity International in college. He had heard about it his freshman year at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and knew immediately it was something he wanted to do. But he was unable to apply that year because he had a Heaven's Playground tournament at the time of the trip. He later did apply and took two Habitat trips to Africa, one to Kenya and one to Ghana.

"When I went to Kenya, it was a real eye-opening experience. It was a very intense experience. We built a house in a matter of 10 days, which was a really gratifying experience." This June he went to Ghana on a trip that he helped organize. He said he learned a lot about the condition of the people in that country. His experience m Ghana made him want to keep doing charity work. In addition to his charity work abroad, Kiczek studied in England for a year during his time at Holy Cross.

Education: Kiczek graduated from Holy Cross this year; majoring in English with a minor in philosophy, and he is currently looking for a job. He would like to work with a nonprofit organization or, if possible, making Heaven's Playground a career. More in line with his major, a job in publishing or writing would also be something he would enjoy pursuing.

Back to basics: Since the tournament has expanded considerably since its humble beginnings, the organizers decided this year to have a smaller fifth anniversary tournament at the Kiczek's home to get back to the event's roots. The tournament will benefit the Morristown Neighborhood House, which offers social services to children and their parents.

Though this year's tournament is relatively small, next years is expected to be a big one. Kiczek wants Heaven's Playground to keep growing. "It is a dream of ours that is slowly becoming a reality."

Family: Kiczek lives with his parents; Maryann and Paul, and his sister Alison. His family helps out a lot with the tournaments, not to mention lending their back yard for three of them. For more information on Heaven's Playground, visit www.heavensplayground.org.