Grad duo use basketball to help students
(Above: Photo submitted- Brittany Ward (center) with men froom The local Masonic Lodge who stood in at the nonprofit’s father/daughter dance for those young girls who didn’t have a father present.)
Two graduate students at Winston-Salem State University are making sure that local students are winning on and off the court.
Brittany Ward, 29, and Joel Ward, 28, operate the local Hoops 4 L.Y.F.E. (Low-income Youth and their Families Everywhere). The two are working on their master’s degrees in arts for teaching middle grades, with a concentration in Language Arts.
The brother and sister team started the nonprofit in an attempt to give families and children an opportunity to reap the benefits that being involved in sports can give someone.
“Because we went through programs similar to Hoops 4 L.Y.F.E. growing up, that ultimately made us who we are today,” Brittany said.
The pair grew up on the south side of Winston-Salem and frequented Belview Recreation Center. Brittany went to Parkland High School, where she played basketball, football and was on the track team for the school.
“Sports was a niche that we found that we liked. We wanted to share the game with younger kids and give them that same structure that we had growing up,” she said.
The organization, which is run strictly off of donations and doesn’t have a permanent home, also gives children the opportunity to make new friends and have mentors that help students, whether it’s working on multiplication problems or their layups.
A typical day at the summer camp would consist of breakfast, introductions, warm-ups and group gatherings to begin drills and techniques. Through out the school year, students meet with tutors, friends and classmates of Brittany’s, who can help them with reading and math before they get a chance to hit the court.
“We give them that motivation, criticism and confidence that they are going to need while teaching them the importance of being a student-athlete,” she said.
The youngest camper she has is 4 years old and the oldest is 15 years old.
“We wanted to create something that was affordable for low-income areas that we grew up in,” she said. “We use the rules and regulations in basketball and transfer them into the kids lives. You can use these same gifts that you have on the court to pay for your education in life. The hook is basketball, but we also teach them how to live their lives to be successful in their communities.”
The organization, which is two years old, has also reached out into the community to give back by providing back-to-school haircuts, holding a toy drive for Christmas, hosting a father-and-daughter dance and a breast cancer awareness basketball tournament with proceeds going to a local breast cancer survivor.
“We want to involve the families,” she said. “We are family-oriented. I don’t think that your financial situation should determine what you’re going to do or the resources that you have available because we are all the same people.”
Nine-year-old Jaison Serrben said that the program allows him to spend time with his friends while working on his basketball skills. Brittany said that the he has blossomed in his time with the program. He went from his speech being delayed to being on the A/B Honor Roll at Kimberley Park Elementary.
“I think everything is awesome,” he said of the camp. “I like the activities.”
Serrben said that he has gotten better since he first started playing basketball.
“My shooting is better,” he said. “I want to work on my aiming.”
Brittany said that agency operates off of the kindness of others and those who believe in her vision.
“A lot of people see our story and want to give back,” she said.
For more information on the program, call 336-231-7968 or visit the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Hoops4LYFE. Donations are being accepted and can be dropped off at any Wells Fargo Bank under the Hoops4LYFE account.
