Oct. 6, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Members of the Samford University basketball team recently volunteered their time at the Exceptional Foundation as the Bulldogs helped run a basic skills camp for special needs children. The camp was hosted at the Exceptional Foundation's youth center located in Homewood.

"We take great pride and pleasure in giving back to the community," said Samford assistant coach Terrence Johnson. "We all had a great time and we look forward to the next opportunity to bring about positive change in our community and the world."

Samford basketball players Will Cook, Kaylin Johnson, Devin McNeil, Drew Windler and Gregg Wooten all joined Assistant Coach Terrence Johnson in teaching the fundamentals of shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding and defending.

"I really enjoyed spending time at the exceptional foundation," said Cook. "It feels good to make children happy and feel good about themselves merely by spending time with them in an activity that you both love to do. I went in to this not knowing what to expect but I ended up having a great time with the kids and they really inspired me to keep on working towards my dreams no matter the obstacles life throws at me. I will cherish this experience for a lifetime and am grateful I was a part of it."

The skills camp ended with a pickup game with the kids eager to implement the skills they learned. The Samford athletes helped coach and play with the kids throughout the game.

"It was great to work with the kids and be able to put a smile on their faces," said Wooten. "Giving back to the kids is always a good deal."

Senior guard Kaylin Johnson also enjoyed his time volunteering at the Exceptional Foundation.

"It was a great overall experience," Johnson said. "I had a good time playing with all kids and I would definitely like to do it again."

"I enjoyed my time with the kids playing basketball games and shooting around," said Windler. "The kids were so enthusiastic that it was easy to be relaxed and have a fun time while they learned and exercised."

"It was a wonderful experience working with the kids," McNeil said. "They were very cooperative and fun to work with. Just the fact that they were having a great time, smiling and laughing made me feel great. It just feels great to be able to influence the lives of younger children and helping serve as a role model."