Basketball camps in the Bahamas are key to developing the country's youth

Since its establishment in 2010, the series Ballin’ By Da Beach has impacted more than 630 young players in the Bahamas. These opportunities have created a bank of young juvenile talents that possess a high-level basketball formation and could achieve a spot in one of the national teams down the road.

Its creator, Jurelle Mullings, initially thought about an all-girls basketball camp after witnessing the limitations they face in the island. It was then when she designed a space where they could get to know each other, develop their game and, above all, have fun. Mullings has coached and assisted in programs in Queens College, the University of Salisbury in Maryland, and the University of East Tennessee.

“Initially when we started it was an all-girls camp,” said Mullings in an interview with Nassau Guardian. At that point I saw the need for a camp that was just for girls – there wasn’t one on the island that was being offered. Being exposed to camps and high-level basketball in the U.S. and being a coach, I realized that it was something that was missing here.”

The 2019 edition of the Run N’ Shoot will take place at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium from March 30 to April 20 and will feature four categories. These will include boys from ninth to twelfth grade, girls of the same group age, and finally, women and men 20-years and up who will take the court in separate sections.

The camp counts on an experienced and professional technical personnel that include players from the Bahamas national team, and collegiate and professional players from around the world.

Among them is Jonquel Jones, WNBA player with the Connecticut Suns who, aside from being a coach in the camp, participated in it during her high school years.

It took hard work to get me where I am, but with the help of Ballin' By Da Beach's Founder, I made it through high school, got to college and now I'm in the WNBA AND LOVING IT! Without it, I wouldn't have the discipline or dedication necessary to become one of the best rookies in the WNBA! Ballin' By Da Beach gives you 3 months' worth of training in one week!” said Jones as part of her testimony for the camp.

Besides stations and activities to develop basketball skills, Ballin’ By Da Beach has educational segments in classrooms, competitions and opportunities to ask questions to counselors.

The company approved by the Bahamas Basketball Federation also has individual camps for girls and boys from the age of five, which will start in June.

Another one of their great projects is the College Recruitment Exposure Showcase, which offered 24 scholarships in 2018 to study and play with Montreat College in North Carolina and in St. Thomas University, in Miami, Florida. The 2018 edition is scheduled for August.

After the last edition, Mullings, the project's founder, stated that the future is bright for basketball in the Bahamas.

FIBA