Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Conducts Clinic at Bahamas School
8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@TieDyeNation)
NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Wake Forest men's basketball team conducted a clinic at a local school during the final day of their tour of the Bahamas. The Demon Deacons spent Friday morning teaching reading and basketball with students at Sandilands Primary School.
"We have been fortunate to go on this exhibition tour and this is a chance for our guys to see a different part of the island," said head coach Danny Manning. "We feel fortunate to come here and be able to connect with these kids and put a smile on their faces. It is really a rewarding and educational experience for both sides."
The players and coaches worked with approximately 40 students during the morning, ages 9-12. The Deacs began the morning by assisting the students as they participated in the TuneIn to Reading program in the classroom, which uses a computer program and singing to teach reading. Later in the morning, the players and coaches taught a skills clinic on the basketball court for the children before coaching them compete in short games against each other.
"This was a lot of fun," said sophomore forward John Collins. "These kids don't get a chance like this very often, so to see how much they enjoyed this makes it special. They are fun and vibrant and energetic kids. It means a lot for us to be able to give back to this community."
"Being able to visit this school meant a lot to me," said redshirt sophomore guard Keyshawn Woods. "We were able to put a lot of smiles on these kids' faces. That was our main goal when we came here. These kids don't have many opportunities to learn basketball from people who have played at a high level. We helped them with certain shots and skills by letting them do some of the drills we do on a daily basis. It felt really good to give back to this community. I don't know who enjoyed it more, us or the kids."
The clinic was organized by Mission: Educate Bahamas, a non-profit organization dedicated to impacting the nation's youth through education and literacy. The director of operations of the program is Alexis Tsavoussis, a 2015 Wake Forest graduate.
"This morning was such a blessing to me, since I went to Wake and am a very proud alum," said Tsavoussis. "I spent the early years of my life in the Bahamas and to come back and work here after college has been an incredible and rewarding experience. The team reached out to me when they found out they were coming and asked if they could do a community service event here in Nassau. It has been very sweet to see them come here and interact with the kids. For me, it is wonderful having both worlds collide."
The visit to Sandilands Primary School occurred during Wake Forest's final day of a five-day tour of the Bahamas, which featured three exhibition games. The Demon Deacons topped the University of Toronto 93-72 on Tuesday, Bahamian club CTG Knights 90-78 on Wednesday, and Bahamian club The Real Deal Shockers 104-57 on Thursday in their three games of the tour.
