The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Michigan State Spartans are using their time in the Bahamas to engage in community outreach in conjunction with Mission Educate Bahamas and Sandilands Primary School.

The Spartans visited the Fox Hill campus as part of the MEB’s TuneIn to Read programme and also host a brief basketball clinic.

The session was highlighted by the Bahamas’ own Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn, the starting point guard for the Spartans and former student at Albury Sayles Primary and CR Walker High.

Nairn was overcome with emotion and brought to tears as he stood before the eager crowd of young spectators and was initially unable to get a word out.

He was joined by Spartans’ head coach Tom Izzo on stage as he regrouped and delivered an inspirational message that resonated with the students, staff and administration.

Nairn’s message to the student body included finding a goal and purpose in life, trusting the support system around them and a strong belief in God.

He said the moment of reflection seeing so many students in the position he was once in brought out the emotional moment.

“It was emotional just knowing I came from the government school system. I used to be there sitting in assembly just like they were listening to people talk, singing the songs, singing the national anthem, saying the pledge and it just made me think of what our country stands for. People always ask me why I appreciate a lot of things I have now, well it’s because I grew up in this same environment,” Nairn said.

“When I was looking at the kids I just couldn’t help it because I was once in their shoes and hopefully they can see that it doesn’t matter where you’re from you can make and you can do whatever you want to do in life.”

He gave the examples of himself, NBA rookie guard Buddy Hield and dozens of other Bahamian players who now excel on the world stage through the sport of basketball but were shaped into the people they are by teachers and administrators like the ones at Sandilands Primary.

As his team prepares to compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis this week, Nairn said the students along with his friends, family and the Bahamian fan base will now serve as his operation.

“I just want the world to know Bahamians are on the rise and we have a lot of talented players,” he said, “I’m just happy to be home I just hope I can keep my emotions in check. My family is coming to watch me. My great grandmother is still alive and she’s coming to watch me play so it’s going to be fun.”

Alexis Tsavoussis of Mission:Eduacate Bahamas said this latest initiative in the program resonated with the students because of Nairn’s prescence and story.

“At Mission Educate Bahamas and we are very involved in Sandilands Primary with our TuneIn to Reading Programme here. It’s really awesome whenever we have different athletes come down because they get to come, see the kids, work in the classroom and run a basketball camp. It was really special for us to have Tum Tum visiting his home so today was touching. I think its so important to have people give back and to see the Bahamas,” she said, “It resonated alot today with Tum Tum being there. This is essentially the community he grew up in, the Bahamas is very small so we’re all one people we all grow up together so for him to be in America playing basketball at the level he’s playing right now it just shows how hard work restoring others and being a good person, how far it gets you.”

The TuneIn program is a reading program that is monitored using computers and headphones. It helps children improve their reading in a very short period of time, as much as two grade levels.

The Spartans will open play in the Battle 4 Atlantis tonight in the Imperial Arena against the St. John’s Red Storm at 7pm. Nairn said that in their down time he hopes to show his teammates and staff even more of the Bahamas.

“I haven’t been to Atlantis a lot so I can’t show them much about there. I think this is my first time staying there. Hopefully we get to go around where I’m from and I can show them that as well” he said.