In the late 1970s, Crotona, in the South Bronx, was burning. Homes and buildings were reduced to rubble. While many fled the devastation, some people stayed, insisting they wanted to rebuild their community. Mary Mitchell opened her home for families in need and encouraged youngsters to play sport in the streets as a means to distract them from the destruction around. She opened one of New York City's first Play Streets and had a vision to create a community centre for youth and family activities. She died in 1983 but her dream lived on and in 1997 the Mary Mitchell Centre opened.

Crotona is one of the most racially diverse districts in the South Bronx, comprising African-Americans, Dominicans, West Africans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans and Mexicans. Over 90% of school children receive free lunches, only 27% of students can read at grade level and just 26% can demonstrate proficiency in maths. In a district with over 20,000 young people, the Mary Mitchell Centre represents the community's collective efforts to confront these problems.

Mary Mitchell shared with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation the philosophy that sport has the power to involve individuals and transform communities. For 30 years, the Centre, which is her legacy, has fought to have vacant lots turned into ball-fields and to see local parks restored for soccer, tennis and American football. One of its most successful initiatives is the Fight Back jiu-jitsu programme, which began four years ago and which receives direct support from Laureus. The programme is made up of two complementary parts which directly benefit different sections of Crotona society.

Self Defence for Women: These women are at great risk of abuse. They are generally African-American and Hispanic, either unemployed or in low-pay situations. They are all poor and need the confidence and skills that self defence classes teach.

Bilalian-Ryu After Dark: Young adults and teens are trained not only to compete in the art of jiu-jitsu but also as instructors who can act as role models for younger jiu-jitsu students, helping to pass on their skills to others.

With very little funding the jiu-jitsu programme has impacted on the lives of over 150 youngsters and 30 adults. With the support of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the programme will become a permanent component of the Centre and will be able to expand to help even more people. The longer term target for Fight Back is to reach out to high school students at risk of dropping out, to teens involved in gangs and violence and to the mobile classes within the shelter system. These are lofty goals but the experience so far encourages hope that sport can make a real impact on the lives of young people in Crotona.

The verdict of those who have experienced the Fight Back programme is unanimous. One student Vonnelle says "the class gives you courage and confidence that you can do something good and at the same time be good at it." Brian, an eight-year-old who attends class with his older sister, won awards in three divisions in his first competitions and says "I always feel like just a little brother, but now I feel like one of the big guys." And Andrea says "if it wasn't for jui-jitsu and Fight Back I would be in the street getting into trouble and not going to school."