WNBA/NBA PLAYERS GRACE JUMP 4 LIFE BASKETBALL EVENT

Hoops4Africa founder..Stephan Bekale

The HOOPS4AFRICA, JUMP4LIFE Basketball Tour with NBA and WNBA professional players and coaches realized its expectations with an overwhelming turn out of participants. This makes it the largest basketball clinic in Kenya so far... ..and the interaction with players and fans was more than just a basketball experience.. and to add, they passed on a clear message on HIV/Aids.
WNBA Assistant coach of the New York Liberty basketball team, Marianne Stanley led the squad- Hoops 4 Africa which included coach Barbara Thaxton, WNBA players Adrienne Goodson (Charlotte Sting), Adia Barnes(Seattle Storm), Loree Moore(New York Liberty), and Chasity Melvin (Washington Mystics), and NBA players Steffond Johnson (Former LA Clippers), Rodney White (Golden State Warriors), Stephan Bekale (Founder and Director Hoops4Africa) and Jerry Reynolds (retired LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks). The other members were Carolina Blanco and Gregory Shepard.

The USIU Clinic:
The squad held their first clinic at the United States International University- USIU basketball courts. The activities of the day included a coach's session, which was facilitated by Coach Stanley and Barbara Thaxton. The session featured coaches from various institutions and clubs including; Justus Akhwesa (Kenya Railways), Tonny Ochieng (Strathmore University), David Gitau (Kenyatta University), Oscar Ayomi, Fred Onyanch, David Arika (Strathmore School), Harrison Omondi (University of Nairobi/ Loreto Convent Valley Road LCVR/ Saints), Charles Goro (JKUAT), Muller Baddia (Sprite Stormers), Morris Omondi (International School of Kenya ISK), David Maina (St Austin's Academy), Kim and Kyalo (KCITI), Victor Ochieng (Don Bosco) John Waruru (Coop Bank), Glenns Etyang (ALSA Basketball), and host coaches George Mayienga (USIU Tigers) and Charles Saleh (USIU Flames).

The coaches session...
Prior to the players' clinic, local coaches got the opportunity to learn and share experiences and ideas with clinic director Coach Marianne Stanley, who is Assistant Head Coach for the WNBA team New York Liberty, assisted by Coach Barbara Thaxton. Whereas Marianne had more to share on senior basketball coaching, college and club/professional level with over 25 years of professional coaching experience having started coaching at 23 years old, Barbara had tips on how to coach, teach and deal with little kids. Most of the local coaches at the clinic were from college and club level; however, the general concerns such as motivation, shooting and offensive formations cut across all levels of coaching.

As the coaches clinic was going on, the players were also having their own sessions which covered issues that relate to sports persons and the youth; from HIV/Aids (which was the main message), drug Abuse, responsible behavior, teamwork and education.
What followed the theoretical sessions was to be the biggest basketball clinic ever and featured a swarm of participants who thronged the USIU Basketball courts. The participants came from various institutions including; High Schools- Loreto Convent Valley Road LCVR, Kamukunji Girls, Upper Hill, Jamhuri High, Huruma Girls, Ofafa Jericho, Aquinas High, Oshwal Academy and International School of Kenya, Universities- Kenyatta University, Daystar University, University of Nairobi, Catholic University, JKUAT, Africa Nazarene University ANU, Strathmore University, and USIU, Colleges- Kenya Christian Industrial Training Institute KCITI, Kenya College of Accountancy, Kenya Polytechnic, and Clubs- Ulinzi, Lomboritz, Coop Bank among others.
The participants were taken through basketball fundamentals and drills like shooting, passing, rebounding, lay-ups, and footwork. The participants were divided into nine groups, for the nine stations that were being headed by the pro-basketballers. The sessions were not only educative, but also fun.with the Rodney White group sending the crowd wild with fabulous dunks.. while the Adia Barnes group kept the fans laughing all afternoon with the " Dance " (Left) after each drill.

The Nakuru Clinic:
The Nakuru clinic was held at the Menengai High School basketball courts on Friday 16 th and Saturday 17 th September, and followed the USIU model. The event was a rare one for the Rift Valley basketball fans, who only get to see serious basketball action when Nairobi teams travel there for the Premier League games and the Labor Day Tournament. The event attracted various institutions including the hosts Menengai High School , Nakuru basketball Club, Nakuru High School , Egerton University among others. The trip to Nakuru was an additional adventure for Hoops4Africa squad as they got to see the Great Rift Valley Escarpment, Lake Naivasha and the wild animals as they were taken for a game drive at the Lake Nakuru National Park .

The Kasarani Clinic and Game:
At Kasarani Gymnasium, hundreds of basketball fans players and coaches thronged the indoor gym to watch the NBA-WNBA players live in action as they played exhibition games. The pro-players were missed up with the UCBL teams and divided into two groups- Blue and White. In the ladies game, Washington Mystics center Chasity Melvin shot 9 points to lead the Blue Team to a 49-44 victory. The White Team got 19 points from Charlotte Sting forward Adrienne Goodson with Adia Barnes added 11. The Blues carried the day once again in the men's game, winning 61-54. The pro-players showcased skills, patience and composure as they played and gave alot of advice to their teammates-UCBL Squad as the game went on. Besides the exhibition games, Kamukunji Girls defeated Buru Buru Girls in a secondary school exhibition game, Laiser Hill Academy hit Aquinas 37-17 in the boys game, Sylvia Koech of UoN Dynamites won the 3-point Shootout.but what carried the day was the Slam Dunk competition.and it was that NASTY!

Hope Centre Clinic..
The Hoops4Africa squad ended their "Jump4Life" tour at the Hope Centre in Nairobi , where they held a basketball clinic. Most of the participants were high school students from; Moi Girls Nairobi, St Georges, Kamukunji Girls, St Austin's Academy, Jamhuri High, Aquinas, and Nairobi School.
The Hope Centre Clinic focused more on basketball basics especially shooting and dribbling. The NBA and WNBA players, though exhausted, facilitated the event and distributed T-Shirts, balls, and caps to all the participants.

The Wrap-up:
After all was done.the NBA/WNBA players took photos with the participants, signed autographs and got down to advising the participants in smaller groups. ALSA Basketball crew caught up with some of the players and they had this to say;

Adrienne Goodson: "The clinic was great, and it was really nice to see the guys come out real strong and positive about it all. We've really appreciated it all"

Jerry Reynolds: " it was a great day for us, and for everyone who came out here, and we hope we've passed down ideas and basketball fundamentals to each participant.and also had fun"

Coach Marianne Stanley; "It was a great clinic, we are glad for all the participants who showed up , and Iam hoping it will be even bigger next time"

They came, they saw.and they touched the lives of many basketball players, fans and coaches.and to them, they appreciated it even more than we did. WNBA player, Adrienne Goodson had this to say "I know you guys appreciate this a lot.but you don't know how much we appreciate it.. we really do"

The Hoops 4 Africa Programme was founded by Stephan Bekale (formerly of NBA side New York Knicks), after he lost both his parents to HIV/Aids, he, together with the Hoops 4 Africa organization use the Programme to create awareness as well as campaign against HIV/Aids.
They had fun, we had fun, and the message on HIV/Aids was conveyed.

"Take care of yourselves by making smart choices on sex, and HIV/Aids, and also nutrition. As school team and community team players, you are already leaders and influencers of habits and behaviors of the community. With this knowledge you can take care of yourselves and impact the community"

...and the slogan they left behind in our minds...

PLAY SAFE - LIVE LONG . EAT RIGHT - STAY STRONG