Our game will feature the 7’2 Ricky Lopes, (featured on David Letterman, Conan O’brien and Law and Order) one of the most gifted natural comedians on the planet, Chris ”Super Chicken” Turnquist, and Kevin “Showboat” Jackson.  We are also featuring a star studded ’Bath Dream Team’ led by, 2010 gold medalist from the USA karate team, Ed “The Hitman” Hall, (full roster to be announced soon).  The Harlem Superstars’ show is a family show that does so much more than just entertain.  They visit all of the area school, the day of the game to reach each student with a positive message. During the game they invite every kid in attendance come onto the court and dance with the team, and they do not leave the gym until every single fan has a chance to get an autograph, picture, or a high five.  All proceeds from this game will go to benefit ‘Teens of America’ an organization that is helping young people all over the country in a very unique way, addressing issues that our young people struggle with on a daily basis.  Teens of America works with young people to form peer groups and make pledges to avoid negative influences.  They talk to young people about what is possible if they work hard to achieve their dreams and goals in life.  They educate young people about issues like bullying/cyber bullying, peer pressure, teen suicide, texting and driving, safe social networking etc.  I will be working with Teens of America to bring their programs and extensive follow up programs to Maine schools, I couldn’t be any more excited than I am to come onboard their team.  This game will be a launch pad of sorts to provide T.O.A. with the resources to be able to bring this amazing, cutting edge program to Maine.    We will be reaching out to members of our community over the next few weeks to support our efforts to make this charity basketball game a huge success!

  I’ll see you at the game! ~Jason “White Shadow” Gibbons

Teens of America: http://teensofamerica.net/

Presale Tickets available: At the Bath Middle School: $7.00 

At the door: $8.00

Every single performance was simply amazing and there was a fun, festive atmosphere with give aways and crowd interaction.  The most powerful moment came when Dajuan Eubanks took the mic and began to share his story, some of the things he overcame to find success and the work that he put in to achieve some of his dreams and goals.  You could hear a pin drop when the 6’9 Eubanks placed a red white and blue basket ball next to his Harlem Globetrotter uniform at center court and spoke of travelling around the globe as the premier showman for the most famous basketball team in the world.  As he pointed to his uniform, he spoke about the fact that the uniform has never defined him, he defined the uniform.  He challenged the crowd, made up mostly of residents of the low income housing unit know affectionately as ‘Hyde Park’, to ‘never’ allow your circumstances to define who you are as a person, you define your own destiny.”  The honorary member of the basketball hall of fame, then spoke about the fact that he was a victim of bullying.  He reinforced my challenge to young people that are bullying to consider the repercussions of their actions and asked anyone who may be a victim of harassment, intimidation or any form of physical, or emotional bullying to take action.  He gave them several resources and spoke from his heart about his own experiences, challenges and what he overcame to find success in many areas of life.  I couldn’t have been anymore excited to have the opportunity to expose my community to such a great man.  I’m already looking at next year’s event.  I’m also working to package this program and take it into schools to help educate as many young people as possible on this incredibly important issue.  

 This was the very first camp that I’ve held for folks with special needs and it couldn’t have possible gone any better!  I’ve found over the years that the game of basketball can be an amazingly powerful vehicle to help those who live with developmental challenges to overcome many of the obstacles that they often struggle with. Communication, working together as a team to accomplish a goal, following the instructions of a coach or captain, sportsmanship, learning to win and lose gracefully, respect etc. The game instills a sense of self confidence and can boost the self esteem of anyone who is willing to work at it!
My hope is to do more camps like this in the future.  I’ll be reaching out to schools and agencies around the state this year, to work more with their young people and adults with special needs.  I hope to be able to show people just how therapeutic the game of basketball can be!  There are so many things that the game can teach us all about life!  The game has a way of rewarding hard work and punishing you if you don’t put in the work you should.

I thank God that over the past 11 years I’ve been blessed to be in a position to see this game touch the lives of some of God’s most precious creatures and I look forward to working with our friends with special needs in the future through this great game of basketball!

Click on this link for Times Record story about our camp,

 ”A Dream That You ‘Swish’ May Come True” Special Needs Camp Story

The Harlem Superstars game at the Bath Middle School was a huge success.  Some have said that the Bath Middle School has never held more people than it did on March 25th 2k10!  The game was scheduled to start at 6:30pm and by that time the gym was absolutely jam packed, kids sitting on the floor, standing room in the lobby and there was still a line out to the parking lot!  We had to turn a ton of people away unfortunately.  It was a fundraiser for my new charity, “White Shadow Outreach.”  It was alot of work but it was worth every single minute.  I was able to make a donation of half of my proceeds to a great local charity, The Odyssey of the Mind.  From the honor guard to Ed Hall’s Martial Arts Demonstration Team to the Woolwich Wildcat cheerleaders and the fun personalities on The Dream Team, it could not have gone any better! Looking forward to next year’s game.

Special Needs Camp:

All ages!!!

Where: Bath Middle School

When: August 22nd through the 26th from 12:30pm to 3:30pm

Cost: $100.00

Please visit the contact page and leave the campers name age and tee shirt size to reserve a spot at this summer’s camp.  Walk ins welcome: Registration will be held at BMS from 12pm to 12:30pm on August 22nd.

To print out a registration form for the August 22nd special needs “Superstar” Camp click here:  2011 Special Needs Registration form

Anyone interested in sponsoring a camper please let me know.

More info on this year’s camp:

I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to hold my 2nd “Special Needs” camp for young people and adults with developmental disabilities.  Last year’s camp was a huge success and I’m really looking forward to this year’s camp on August 22nd at Bath Middle School.  One of my biggest goals is to help give them a sense of pride in themselves and help build their self confidence, because far too often these are folks who struggle with the simple day to day things that so many of us take for granted.  Having worked with young people with disabilities for 12 years I’ve been in a position to see far too many people who happen to have a disability, walk around with very low self esteem and it’s my goal during this particular camp, to build that up.  I work with my campers on things like goal setting, working together as a team to achieve personal and team goals.  We try to focus on things that they may struggle with through basketball, like boundaries (playing within the lines) or how that you need to take direction from your coach at times, to be the best teammate you can possibly be.  How to learn to deal with failure and defeat gracefully, support your teammates and how that if you are willing to work hard, you can become the best that you can possibly be.  There are so many things that the game of basketball can help this segment of our community with for sure.  There is nothing any more rewarding than seeing the pride in a camper’s eyes when that light goes on and they grasp a concept that will not only help them on the court but also help them in the game of life!

I’m excited to unveil some drills that I picked up from a friend of mine named Frank Lopes.  He was recently at the white house court with the president and is the nba’s top camp director. He does alot of jr nba camps all over the country.  I met him at All Star weekend, he flew me out to perform at his school in Florida and I’ve also helped him with the Red Claws basketball camps.  He has given me some great drills to make camp fun and help improve the game of my campers.  Every day will have a theme, respect, hard work, healthy living, education etc.  We will have special guests that will come and speak about out themes, such as 2011 USA Karate Team’s Olympic gold medalist and member of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Ed Hall.  The goal of my camp are to give individuals the tools to help them become better basketball players but also to show them things that the game can teach them about life as well.  Things like self discipline, perseverance, dedication, and good sportsmanship are all focal points of my camps.  The game of basketball will reward positive character traits like hard work and punish those who are lazy or try to take shortcuts and have poor character.

I always tell my campers something that the best basketball trickster I’ve ever seen, Tommy Baker, once told me at the NBA’s All Star Weekend, “Hard work beat talent, when talent fails to work hard.”  There are alot of talented people out there but unless they have the fire in the belly to put buckets of sweat and hard work together with that talent, they will not make it as far as the individual with no talent who is willing to out work everyone else!  I feel very blessed to be in a position to be able to share the game I love with others and show them how you much the game can teach you if you are willing to look a little deeper!

The salt in his shoes~the Michael Jordan story

Earlier this week I had opportunity to read “The Salt in his Shoes”~ the Michael Jordan story, to the 3rd grade boys at Phippsburg elementary school the other day.  Jordan’s story can be a very powerful tool to talk to kids about the values of hard work, perseverance and never giving up on your dreams and goals.  After reading the book, I shared some things with the boys that have helped me and they were very receptive.  We had a great time and I look forward to coming back next month to visit with the 4th graders.

Where: The housing unit affectionately known as “Hyde Park” the brick buildings just behind Shaw’s.

When: 4pm to 6pm.

 Here’s a list of games and events that will be held at our event:

1) Ed Hall will be performing a brick breaking demonstration.

2) DJ Creamer will have a dance off with prizes for the finalist (all ages)

3) Ed Hall is looking for a long jump champion who can perform the longest running side kick.

4) A panel of judges will be voting for a winner of our “Low Rim Dunk Contest”

5) I’ll be challenging the shooters to a 3 point and foul line hoop shoot contest.

6) A dress and dash- selected contenders will dash to dress in my warm ups/size 13 sneakers, grab a ball and make a lay up in the least amount of time.

7) There will be toddler hoop for the ‘little’ ones and SO much more!!!

PRIZES:

“White Shadow Showtime Basketball” Tee Shirts

Basketballs

White Shadow Dvds

8×10 Master Hall and White Shadow pictures

We hope to see you and yours at this years “Family Fun Day.”

 More importantly, I was able to talk to the kids about the dangers of bullying and peer pressure, as well as the rewards of caring for others and befriending those in need, through the powerful story of the young man to whom the Maritime basketball courts were dedicated three years ago.

 Jason was widely known for his concern for others and often called “a superman for the underdogs” in his school and community.  I was fortunate enough to work with Jason for 4 years and I’m just trying to keep his memory alive by recognizing  members of the community and students from area schools, selected for the embodiment of Jason’s ideals.  We were able to raise money for the “Help a Kid Foundation” which funds after school activities for children in the community, through a silent auction and raffle.  William Shuttleworth spoke from the heart to the kids and let us know a little bit about his foundation which is currently supporting over 250 children in the area. 

  

 

Below is a short video from our event

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6yUKW8Ln1U

Our Superintendent of schools William Shuttleworth’s “Help a kid fund” supported ten of our campers this year.  So we’re going to have a car wash, bake sale, art and lemonade sale to raise money for the foundation that supported so many of us.   We’re going to turn in our old sneakers, shoes and unused toys, as well as non-perishable foods so we can donate them appropriately to the outreach organizations in our community.   My hope is that if we can expose these kids to the people in our community that are reaching out to those in need, then maybe some of them can experience the rewards of giving back!