The Bainbridge High School boys’ basketball game may have lost its first game of the season on Tuesday, but by Wednesday the loss had been put aside as members of the team shifted their focus to giving back to families in need.

The players, their parents and the coaches came together at Hutto Middle School that afternoon to hand out plates of food to members of the community.

“On our basketball package I put something on there that the kids have to get so many hours of community service,” head coach Terry Smith said. “[The parents] thought this was a pretty good idea for the kids to get some hours and here it is Thanksgiving and we are thankful for what we have. Others don’t have as much as we have so the parents came to me about having this and I jumped all on it.”

Requiring his players to give back to their community is Smith’s way of thanking the community for supporting the team financially and by coming to games to cheer on the players.

“It’s huge,” Smith said of his team giving back. “We rely so much on the community, Not just for fan support, but financially. Getting the community to come into the gym and see those kids play it’s huge for us…They know we need to get the community behind us and to do that we have to get out and give to the community.” 

Churches in the community donated some of the food and the rest was either donated or cooked by parents of member of the team.

“To help out others and help the homeless,” senior Milton Gayle said of why they were giving out food. “It’s a great thing to do so we can have support and everybody can see how the basketball team helps out the community.

The event gave the players a chance to take some time away from basketball, with a game on Tuesday and another on Friday, and spend a few hours helping people in need.

“It feels good,” senior Jeremy Freeman said. “I like giving back and helping people. I just think about the people I know that have been through a lot.”

The meals included fried chicken and sides as well as a roll and cake for desert.