"More than Ball" players attending the closing of the first semester- all smiles for a job well done so far. Photo: Charlie Jackson/VINO

Coach Mike Nalls has designed a tough but well balanced programme that impressed Coach Garraway with its intensity and purpose. Photo: Charlie Jackson/VINO

Coach "88" Malone was very thankful for the continued support of Parents and Sponsors and promised the programme will be even better for its second term. Photo: Charlie Jackson/VINO

Mind you, at the gathering of over 20 boys and girls, supportive parents and sponsors heard, whilst the Programme would be back in full force come September, the coaches will in fact be holding a series of Mini Camps during July and August partly to ensure those going away don’t slip up in maintaining the preparations and also because the coaches are so passionate about what they are trying to achieve and have been met with such a positive response from the group that don’t really want to stop!

It took a while for the players to buy into the philosophy that coaches Mike Nalls, Keith “88” Malone and Roy Garraway are creating, but as Nalls pointed out, “It is intense, but we want them to better understand what the demands of Schools and Colleges will be when they go away. They need to be fitter, faster, and quicker in reading the game and also maintaining educational standards.”

Garraway was amazed at what he saw; having joined the Programme, “I told the Coach that he was going to kill them. I didn’t think they would last!”

Garraway was referring to the fitness section of the Programme which has the Ballers up at the crack of dawn and at the Gym to work out before school. His doubts though were soon allayed as players lost weight gained muscle mass and proudly started boasting of “six packs” and greater confidence in themselves.

“Stay ready, be ready and that’s what the programme is all about, if you get ready from now, you will be ready for the higher level, if you’re not ready you won’t get to play,” stated Malone. “Coach Nalls has done a fantastic job in designing the programme and has delivered it exactly how we knew he would. The youths have responded and have become better players and better people.”

“We started with just a handful, but soon grew to around 25,” said Nalls. “All the Players bought into what we needed them to do and what they could achieve. Conditioning, weight loss, mini competition’s on six packs, have all combined to build a close knit confident group. When we started me and “88” could hardly watch what we were seeing, but now they are playing some really good basketball. They are more confident, they all have goals and we are seeing them achieve their dreams.”

A non-profit organisation, More than Ball covers all aspects of Academics and Basketball. “You can’t play basketball unless you maintain your grades and that is what we constantly drum into the players,” said Malone. “I have to thank all the Parents too, without their support the programme doesn’t work. We try to involve the whole family and that’s important.”

“It costs money to put the programme together and the parents have been great in that respect,” said Malone. “We have some great Sponsors like Roadtown Wholesale, the Neville Smith Group of Companies and others, but it is a costly business so we are looking at getting more support going forward.”

Mr. Harrigan, the Ag. Director of Youth Affairs and Sports was in attendance and said that he would do all he could to support the programme as he had been very impressed with what he had seen so far.

Parents were also impressed by the new found dedication and purpose they saw in their children.

“I’ve so many positive changes in my son,” commented Ms. Winter. “Michael has been transformed. He’s up early, he works hard, he’s having fun and I can’t say thank you enough to the coaches. It’s wonderful.”

Ms. Skelton added, “My son gets up at 5.30 a.m. every morning! And that’s amazing,” she said. “I have seen such an improvement in his attitude and that’s amazing too!”

All of the parents echoed the sentiments of the increased vitality and positive attitude that they had seen in their children since the Programme began and even those putting themselves through the hard work were all smiles and full of confidence in what they have achieved so far.

“There is so much more that could be said about the Programmes achievements and so much more we still have to do,” commented Malone. “In the next few weeks we will be taking a long hard look at the way forward and will be back even better for the next sessions.”

For more information on the programme and also the summer mini camps Coach Nalls can be reached on 443 8878.