Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Hakim Warrick of the Memphis Grizzlies (left) presents this youngster with educational gifts at the end of the summer basketball workshop organised by Tournament of Champions in association with Grand Lido. Looking on is John Salmon of the Philadelphia 76ers. - CONTRIBUTED
"IF YOU can't read and analyse the plays, you can't play," said Walter 'Wali' Jones, educational director of the Tournament of Champion Incorporation, as he addressed more than 20 youngsters at the SuperClubs' summer basketball workshop last week.
Jones, 63, a National Basketball Association (NBA) champion with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, reiterated that "It's not just about if you can shoot a jump shot, the emphasis is on literacy".
Jones, along with Jamaican-born Wesley Frater, president of the Tournament of Champion Incorporation, has been putting on these camps for the past four years in the Caribbean.
ANNUAL CHARITY
Frater, who returned to his native Jamaica in 2001 (the first time in 35 years), realised he was away from Jamaica far too long and was moved by the sight of children walking barefoot to school.
As such, every year his organisation gives away uniforms, basketballs, rims and more importantly tons of school books, pens, pencils and crayons.
Jones, who showed off his 1967 championship ring and a 2003 Masters League winners ring to The Gleaner, said "These kids need to know the importance of reading."
'SET GOALS, MANAGE TIME'
"We have been doing this in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and the whole emphasis is literacy," added Jones, a principal of three academies. "With this effort from Grand Lido and these two young men (Hakim Warrick and John Salmon) from my home city, we teach kids how to set goals and manage their time".
The two NBA players - John Salmons of Philadelphia 76ers and Hakim Warrick of Memphis Grizzlies - were on hand to demonstrate their skills and give motivational speeches to the youngsters.
Warrick, 23, who was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft, said he just wanted to give back something to kids that want to learn the game.
"It opened up so many doors for me, so I just want to see the same thing happen to some of these kids," said Warrick, who won the NCAA title in 2003 with Syracuse.
James Robertson, shadow minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sports, thought the camp was useful and pointed out the way the youngsters gravitated towards the NBA players.
"Look at that. Do you think the politicians can grab the attention of the youngsters like that," he said. "The fact that the NBA players are educated is a good thing. They show the kids what it's like to be a rounded person. It's not just about basketball."
SUPPORTIVE OF CAMP
Paulton Gordon, assistant director at the Sports Development Corporation, said his organisation has been assisting the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA) with the growth and development of basketball over the past seven years.
"We started with community basketball and, since then, we have been working closely with them (JBA)," he said. "What I like about this particular camp, is the fact that it is more than basketball. It grounds the kids and gives them an education. It teaches them that life is more than basketball. That's why we are so supportive of this basketball camp.
