The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOR the fourth consecutive year, one of the Bahamas’ rising stars in the coaching ranks of women’s basketball is all set to stage her clinic, which continues to grow in popularity and stature with each edition.

Ballin’ By Da Beach girls’ basketball camp, hosted by Jurelle Nairn in conjunction with the Back 2 Basics Foundation, is scheduled for July 1-5 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The camp is open to girls aged 5-18 and runs from 9am to 3pm daily.

Head coach Charisse Mapp, formerly of the North Carolina State University and Salisbury, will conduct the camp along with Nairn, collegiate players and a number of local coaches.

“The numbers continue to increase every year and it continues to take me by surprise. For the first time we will have some of our former senior campers back who are now playing collegiately. I like to call them the ‘fruits of our labour’ so that will be exciting for many of the younger campers,” Nairn said.

“Charisse Mapp has really embraced the project as her own over the last few years. Now she is coaching at a prestigious high school in North Carolina, so you never know, that can have an impact for one of the camp participants if they can come out and show what they can do.”

Other camp instructors will include Terrence “Red Eye” McSweeney and Marvin Henfield.

Nairn, who was also a one-time coach at Queen’s College, said the inspiration for the event came from a need for her to give back to the community and the sport of basketball.

“This movement was birthed from my passion to serve and inspire change in the Bahamas through basketball. Since I started playing basketball, God has just graced me with His favour over and over again.

“I can truly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for basketball,” she said. “It has opened doors that would have never been opened had I not played for the right people, in the right place, at the right time.”

In its past the Ballin’ By Da Beach clinic used its exposure and growth in popularity to honour one of the game’s most recent icons.

The camp featured T-shirts adorned with the image of Yolett McPhee-McCuin, the daughter of legendary Bahamian coach Gladstone “Moon” McPhee and educator Daisy McPhee.

McCuin was recently named the head women’s basketball coach for the Jacksonville University Dolphins. She then developed the aforementioned Back2Basics foundation, which helps the development of children through education and athletics.

“I feel like women’s basketball is in a disheartening state in the country right now. We have made some major strides internationally with Yolette and Waltiea Rolle, but the local game needs so much more help to help with its development. This is a week long programme and as much good as it does, this programme can only put a dent in what needs to be done, but we are looking forward to its continued growth,” Nairn said.

Interested persons can register at www.ballinbydabeach.com, with further information via Twitter - @Ballinbydabeach, Facebook - www.facebook.com/ballinbydabeach or E-mail - ballinbydabeach@gmail.com