Marc Jackson, World B. Free teach local students basketball and life lessons at ‘Sports With Us’ clinic
The Sixers and Bank of America teamed up in a multi-year partnership to bring basketball and financial literacy to children.
Former 76ers players Marc Jackson and World B. Free stood patiently under the baskets at the Sixers training facility in Camden as students from KIPP Philadelphia Preparatory Academy rotated through four different interactive stations as part of the Sixers’ and Bank of America’s “Sports With Us” clinic.
The “Sports With Us” clinic is part of the Sixers’ new multi-year partnership with Bank of America that became official in October. The clinic’s mission is to introduce athletic fundamentals and teach life skills like financial health, confidence, decisiveness, balance and focus through the game of basketball.
“We are delighted to be here, really establishing in the early innings our new partnership with the Philadelphia 76ers,” said Jim Dever, the president of Bank of America. “And you know, the ability to both instill athletic lessons as well as life lessons is for us just an absolute win-win.”
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One student, with sunglasses propped above her head and a purse strapped onto her back, stood beside Jackson with basketball in hand. She took two steps forward, jumped and pushed the ball with all her might. It found its way into the net, and as she walked away, Jackson let out a big shout and the 6-foot-10 Philadelphia native and Temple product held his hand high as she jumped up to meet him for a high five.
Meanwhile, World B. Free helped students with shooting drills, teaching the proper form as students ran through ladders and jumped over hurdles before making a shot on the basket.
“It’s so important for me to be part of this event,” Jackson said. “The 76ers team-up with Bank of America is giving kids the opportunity to learn through the game of basketball, learning off-the-court skills through financial literacy and just being confident and resilient in what they have.
“To me, this is the kind of opportunity I wish I had. It feels great to see the opportunities given to other children. … It’s very important that we take advantage of situations to give to youth as adults to make sure the youth have a better life all around, not just in athletics.”
The students were welcomed with entertainment from the Sixers dance team, Squad 76. Afterwards, coaches led the group through stretches — with some help from Franklin the Dog — before they were divided into four separate groups, rotating through passing, shooting, and ball handling drills.
“I’m going to specialize in passing because you know my counterpart [World B. Free], he doesn’t know anything about that,” Jackson said. “But what I’m going to instill [in the students] when it comes to passing, is the ability to be confident and learn from mistakes and how to build from that and just keep moving forward.”
While both former Sixers players passed on many lessons Tuesday, Jackson said there is one main thing he hopes the kids take away from the clinic. And it is a lesson similar to what he learned at an early age playing the sport: “Mistakes happen.”
“Confidence means everything,” Jackson said. “It means the world. So, if you are truly confident in understanding mistakes happen, you can learn from them. And it’s not just in sports it’s in life in general. Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves when we make mistakes and we feel like we can’t forgive ourselves. But we have to understand that’s part of the journey. So, the biggest thing I learned is being OK with mistakes and building confidence for the mistakes I’ve made.”