Sami Al Uariachi is a grade 12 TKS student and skilled basketball player. Sami plays for the TKS Sharks, Jeddah United, and the U18 National Team in Morocco. For Sami, the development of young children through basketball is a passion. Back in November, Sami decided to give back to the boys living in our neighboring community of Thuwal by supporting a 3-day basketball camp with his friends. With the support of Saudi Initiatives to get through the administrative hurdles, Sami focused on developing a lesson plan for the boys that would enable them to develop improved teamwork abilities, basketball skills, and greater ability to interact with others. It took a while to gain their trust and respect and the language barrier was initially tough, but the impact was immense​. The camp not only established a strong connection between TKS and the Thuwal schools, but more importantly, the kids were able to enjoy the experience, particularly displaying growth in their sportsmanship abilities. For example, one thing that was emphasized throughout the camp was the importance of cheering on your teammates when they scored and encouraging them to improve when they missed. Gradually, they all became louder and louder until it eventually became a competition for who the more enthusiastic team was! Sami believes giving back to the community and passing on your knowledge/skill is a civic duty and it was great for the kids to see and experience the amazing facilities that KAUST has to offer.

Published: April, 2017