University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldog Basketball Players Get Global Experience
August 21, 2008 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. --- University of Georgia basketball players Zac Swansey and Albert Jackson reported to school this fall with some rather adventurous tales to tell from their summer travels. Both participated in faith-based ministry tours with fellow collegiate players, playing some hoops and spreading goodwill beyond the continental borders.
Swansey, a sophomore from Dunwoody, went far beyond the U.S. boundaries. In late May he toured parts of China with a squad of all-stars that were sponsored by SportsReach, which is headquartered in Campbellsville, Ky.
Several of the team’s players came from SEC schools, including Jermaine Beal of Vanderbilt and Elgin Bailey of Mississippi State. His team’s basketball exploits, however, took a back seat to the real-world view they got upon arrival.
They arrived in China just a week after the massive earthquake in the Sichuan province killed thousands. Though their games were far away from the epicenter, Swansey said he not only felt aftershocks but also saw plenty of after-effects of such a disaster.
“I won’t ever forget the experience of being there, that’s for sure,” he said. “I had never been in an earthquake before and I’m thankful for it. The aftershocks that we felt were bad enough. It was just 10-15 seconds of nothing but shaking.”
The earthquake caused such disarray throughout China that the final portion of the trip was canceled for safety concerns.
Jackson, meanwhile, recently completed a week-long trip to the Dominican Republic as part of a team sponsored by SCORE International of Chattanooga. The junior from Earlington, Ky., had a far less eventful excursion during his overseas play, but the lessons were just as valuable.
In between four games, the SCORE team found time to feed the citizens of an impoverished village, visit an orphanage and attend a small church service. “It was an eye-opening experience for me personally,” Jackson said. “Seeing how happy the children at the orphanage were when we visited them, that makes you feel so privileged to be living where we do.”
Jackson also boosted his basketball credentials with the squad that also included other SEC players. Its biggest challenge came in a contest against a group of Dominican professional players that was led by NBA stars Al Horford and Francisco Garcia.
“We had to get used to playing under international rules, with the trapezoid lane,” Jackson said. “You can get away with more physical contact, which I liked a lot. But the competition we faced was really good, and we all got better for the experience.”
The two trips were both as beneficial to the skills of these two athletes as they were to their maturity. Both players had remarkable global experiences, which they will undoubtedly remember for the rest of their lives.
Swansey, a sophomore from Dunwoody, went far beyond the U.S. boundaries. In late May he toured parts of China with a squad of all-stars that were sponsored by SportsReach, which is headquartered in Campbellsville, Ky.
Several of the team’s players came from SEC schools, including Jermaine Beal of Vanderbilt and Elgin Bailey of Mississippi State. His team’s basketball exploits, however, took a back seat to the real-world view they got upon arrival.
They arrived in China just a week after the massive earthquake in the Sichuan province killed thousands. Though their games were far away from the epicenter, Swansey said he not only felt aftershocks but also saw plenty of after-effects of such a disaster.
“I won’t ever forget the experience of being there, that’s for sure,” he said. “I had never been in an earthquake before and I’m thankful for it. The aftershocks that we felt were bad enough. It was just 10-15 seconds of nothing but shaking.”
The earthquake caused such disarray throughout China that the final portion of the trip was canceled for safety concerns.
Jackson, meanwhile, recently completed a week-long trip to the Dominican Republic as part of a team sponsored by SCORE International of Chattanooga. The junior from Earlington, Ky., had a far less eventful excursion during his overseas play, but the lessons were just as valuable.
In between four games, the SCORE team found time to feed the citizens of an impoverished village, visit an orphanage and attend a small church service. “It was an eye-opening experience for me personally,” Jackson said. “Seeing how happy the children at the orphanage were when we visited them, that makes you feel so privileged to be living where we do.”
Jackson also boosted his basketball credentials with the squad that also included other SEC players. Its biggest challenge came in a contest against a group of Dominican professional players that was led by NBA stars Al Horford and Francisco Garcia.
“We had to get used to playing under international rules, with the trapezoid lane,” Jackson said. “You can get away with more physical contact, which I liked a lot. But the competition we faced was really good, and we all got better for the experience.”
The two trips were both as beneficial to the skills of these two athletes as they were to their maturity. Both players had remarkable global experiences, which they will undoubtedly remember for the rest of their lives.
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