The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER spending the past 18 years bringing cheers to countless young Bahamian basketball players, American icon coach Sam Nichols will discontinue his Basketball Smiles.

His swan song will be held for the largest and longest running basketball camp in the country in June. The camp comes to a close after it was first introduced by Nichols, a Hall of Fame coach from McMurray University, and his wife Sandy in 1999.

The McMurrays came here and developed a working relationship with veteran female coach Patricia ‘Pattie’ Johnson from HO Nash Junior High and it took of from there with free camps conducted for boys and girls.

“We have stayed true to our original mission statement – to bring a week of smiles and hope through basketball for 11,000 boys and girls that we have come to love,” Sam Nichols said.

“We sincerely believe that everyone involved in Basketball Smiles has played a part in bringing positive results in generations of future leaders of this great country which has become our second home.”

Using the theme: “We may not can change the world, but we can bring a week of smiles and hope through basketball,” the camp conducts a life skills program for disadvantaged children emphasizing citizenship, education, and self-discipline.

Nichols said they have been committed to ensuring that they stay true to their original vision by making sure that “no child ever pays and no child is ever turned away.” 

Through its board of Directors that include Sam Nichols as president and founder, Randy Thompson as vice-president and Sandy Nichols, treasurer, Basketball Smiles continued to attract an average of 300 campers each year, who are taught by 10-14 coaches from the United States, who bear all of their expenses to come here and participate.

At the end of the camp, each camper is presented with a t-shirt, shorts, socks and basketball.  Individual trophies were also presented to campers for outstanding effort and citizenship during camp. 

Campers were fed a nutritious meal each day, and ice water was provided daily during camp.  Educational materials are also provided by Basketball Smiles Academic Tutorial and Leadership Program, which are used by teachers at HO Nash Jr. High School and teachers in other inner city schools – all free of charge.

Every camper last year was also given a Basketball Smiles school backpack. But Nichols admitted that the expenses are too much to bear so they will have to discontinue the camp after this year.

“We owe such a debt of gratitude for the loyal support of the Lyford Cay Foundation, the Paradise Children’s Foundation, the Atlantis, the Green Parrot, Kelly’s, and other great businesses that have shared our vision,” Nichols said.

“Also, the volunteers from the Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise and the Rotary Club of East Nassau have been crucial in helping us grow and serve as many boys and girls as possible.”

Nichols said the year-round time demands that are required to organize and raise donations for an undertaking as large as Basketball Smiles has simply grown too large to manage.

“I average about two hours per day, three hundred days per year working on Basketball Smiles, and this is in addition to my regular, full-time job, and frankly, there’s just not enough of me to go around,” Nichols lamented.

“Sandy, Randy, and I all have full-time jobs, that are more demanding than ever, and we just can’t do what needs to be done for Basketball Smiles any more. We hate it, but, it’s just time to shut it down.”

As the camp comes to a close this year, Nichols intents to go back to where it got started from June 19-22.