Indigenous Triqui Children, Basketball World Champions on U.S. Tour [Video]

By Jorge Calvillo (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Feb 20, 2014 08:00 AM EST

Tags Triqui Children, Basketball, California, US

Mexico's Children Basketball Team, represented by a group of indigenous triqui children, was warmly welcomed by Latinos in the U.S.

News agency Associated Press reported that the Triqui children arrived at Los Angeles as a part of their tour in California.

The leaders of the Oaxaca Federation of Indigenous Communities and Organizations in California was in charge of welcoming the children who achieved their fame after becoming champions of an international basketball tournament.

The Triqui children caused controversy by playing most of their games barefooted, but said that this made them quicker and is more comfortable to them.

The team of Mexican children has been mocked and discriminated against many times, for their skin color and indigenous ethnicity, but the trainer of the Indigenous Basketball Academy of Mexico, Sergio Zuñiga, said that this hasn't affected their performance in court.

The AP explained that every member of the Mexican team was born in one of the poorest communities in the state of Oaxaca, and that some of their homes don't even have electricity or running water, which has kept them isolated for some time.

"Despite having all of this working against them, these kids have shown their winning strength in basketball courts. They have played with body and soul and become victors. They have shown the world that despite their situation in Mexico, they are a beacon of hope for the people of Oaxaca and Mexicans", said the president of the Mexican team, Gerardo Vásquez.

Despite the children hoping to travel to the US to work after finishing their studies, their trainers and sports authorities insist that they should remain in Mexico to continue to be an example for the rest of society.

The children hope to do many things while in California, among which are visiting Disneyland, touring the University of California and going to an NBA game.