Mercer Women’s Basketball Team Heading to Ghana to Give Back

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The head coach of the Mercer women’s basketball team is on a mission. She wants to get her girls to give back, and this year, they’re doing it in Ghana, Africa.

When she’s on the basketball court, sophomore, Alicia Leshae Williams has two things on her mind: dribble and shoot. But, she says life isn’t measured by the number of baskets she makes.

“I think it’s important outside of basketball that you give back, because we’ve blessed with so much,” says Williams.

It’s an attitude she shares with her teammate and fellow sophomore Tabitha Bradshaw.

“When we do service projects together, we know we have each others back and that’s the main thing that helps us on the floor,” says Bradshaw.

What better way to make a team stronger, than a trip across the world! At the end of July the “Lady Bears” are heading to Ghana to build a brand new home for a family living in a flood-ravaged area. It all started with Head Coach Susie Gardner who wanted to take her team on a foreign tour.

“If we go on a foreign tour, we get to practice with them 10-extra days in the summer, so for selfish reasons, going into our fourth year, I thought well this will be a good way to get some extra practice done,” says Gardner.

Don’t let her tough exterior fool you. Coach Gardner isn’t just about business on the court she wants to this make sure the lady bears stay humble, and grounded.

“Being a former athlete myself, I think we have to realize, we’re not the end to all, you know we’re put on this earth, we’re all the same, as everyone else and we just happen to have a different type of platform, to reach out and help other people,” says Garnder.

The girls do just that, all the time, from weekly tutoring, to helping out at soup kitchen on thanksgiving in North Carolina.

“It’s easy sometimes to just get sucked into your life and basketball, and what’s going on here. you don’t realize what else may be going on in the world,” says Williams.

And giving back in Ghana is going to be a whole different ball game!

“I’m expecting that it will be a really enlightening experience, that I’ll take more from it than I can give,” says Bradshaw.

The trip is being paid for by Mercer on Mission, but the girls need to raise about $12,000 to get to Ghana. To donate, you can click here.

Also, they’ll be fundraising at the men’s home basketball game this weekend. It starts at 4:30.