#By RENALDO DORSETT
#Tribune Sports Reporter
#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
#THE ninth edition of ‘Ballin By Da Beach’ will once again feature two camps at one venue and additionally, the event takes on a new initiative in 2018.
#The camp, traditionally the premier camp for girls, will host its second separate camp for boys at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium this week, starting today (July 30) to August 3 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
#Ballin’ By Da Beach will host players aged five to 18 with packages ranging from $50 to $125. The two camps will be held at the same time but will remain separate.
#The programme was created by Jurelle Nairn in 2010 when she saw a need to place a greater focus on the development of women’s basketball at the youth level.
#Candace Walker, head women’s basketball coach at St Thomas University in Miami, Florida will facilitate the girls’ segment of the camp while Tim Lewis, head coach of Montreat College, assistant coach in Ashville, North Carolina and Crossover Athletics, will conduct the boys’ segment of the camp.
#Since 2010, the camp has featured hundreds of underserved, aspiring student athletes.
#In addition to the camp, this year the organisation debuts its Recruitment Exposure Showcase to aid aspiring players in their college recruitment process. The showcase will be hosted Wednesday, August 1 at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium at 5pm. Individual evaluations will take place 5-6pm and games will take place 6-9pm.
#The divisions will include Junior Girls (7th-8th grade), Senior Girls (9th-12th grade) and Women’s Open (unsigned high school graduates up to age 25). Registration is $5 per player.
#“Led by college coaches who are actual decision makers, our Recruitment Exposure Showcase gives basketball student athletes an opportunity to showcase their basketball skills and earn a scholarship for college. These showcases typically have a serious skill work component and often times also film study and a college-style practice on top of scrimmaging and games, so the benefits to the player go far beyond getting exposure,” the organisation said.
#A press release issued by the organisation said: “Our mission is to take a personal interest in every basketball player and coach to help them become game changers on and off the court. Our vision is to build a movement of passionate basketball players by delivering excellence through the game. Our vision inspires us in our daily work. We create a diverse, collaborative, encouraging environment where teamwork and openness are the cornerstones.”
#In addition to serving as an assistant at Salisbury University, Nairn has coached the Queen’s College Comets and was an assistant on the women’s national basketball team. “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,” she said during previous editions of the camp. “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.”