#Providenciales, August 10, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – When they entered the Graceway Sports Center for the five-day Celebrity
Basketball Camp, our boys were thinking competition, but by the time they left
they were taught the value of camaraderie.
For the Turks and Caicos Islands, in this season when young men are
falling prey to crime, this assessment and accomplishment was powerful and needed.
It is what the professional athletes and coaches, who supported this
specific community project through Lawrence International Inc foundation, were
aiming to demonstrate and teach and boys we spoke too following the camp say
they are inspired to do the impossible.
“When you leave here, you need to understand that you can do the
impossible. First day was ‘believe’, second day was ‘You Can’, third day was
what? Composure!” said founder of Lawrence International Inc, Matthew
Lawrence, who is a former NFL player.
Lawrence was giving a final talk to the boys, who were attentively
looking on and able to recant those daily mantras, on cue.
Qatari Basketball League player, Dominic Wright also had parting words
for the 55 boys ranging from ages 10 to 18 years old. “You guys were struggling
on day one, everybody was struggling but today, you’re clean. Form was
right, energy was right, team work was right, y’all were clapping each other
up. It was beautiful. This does not stop here. Continue, these
drills are not just drills; they are ways to daily work on your game. If
that’s what is important to you, do it!”
From Golden State Warrior Damion Lee, the young men were reminded about
their technical improvements, told they are leaders and were described as the future
of basketball.
“Basketball is a tool to better yourself, to better your situation now
so that you can be the example for the next generation. You guys here are
10 to 18, your time is coming up. What can you do to be the example to
the next generation, give hope to the next generation? You don’t have to
stay here in the islands, you can go to the States, you can go to Europe, you
can go overseas, you can go to China and be the example; give hope to the next
generation,” said 26-year old Lee, who with the Golden State Warriors this year
made it to the NBA finals.
With Turks and Caicos Sports leaders looking on, the exchange was
authentic and drew applause and got countless nods of approval.
Resident coach with Lawrence International Inc, Donnel Dobbins, put a
fitting finish to the pep talk with: “The camp was successful because of the
improvements. Everybody got better, every day. And that’s not just
at basketball. I saw better attitudes, I saw better personalities, I saw
better leadership and those are qualities that take you not only through in
basketball, but through life. This is about building better people, not
better basketball players.”
Among the sponsors of the Lawrence International Inc Celebrity Basketball Camp were Grace Bay Club, Salvation Army, Ocean Club Resorts, Under Armour, Graceway Sports Centre and Coca Cola.
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#buildingbetterpeople
#celebritybasketballcamptci