Myrtle Beach native using basketball to spread faith around world

Jeremy Howard starts his morning by posting an encouraging word for the day on his Facebook page.

And whether it’s through working with youth as a recreation assistant at Mary C. Canty Recreation Center or volunteering at other charitable events, the Myrtle Beach native’s goal is to help others.

Some have taken notice, and recently it opened up a whole new world for the former standout Seahawks basketball player.

Last month Howard, set to be the head coach of the Myrtle Beach High School junior varsity boys basketball team this winter, found himself in Lodz, Poland, where his two major passions – basketball and helping others – came together for a good cause.

Jonah Lanham, a co-worker of Howard’s at the rec center, is the son of Carl Lanham, a staff member of Athletes in Action, an organization whose mission is “to help sports-minded people think and live biblically at the intersection of sport and Christianity.” Once Jonah learned his father was looking for volunteers to take part in a new basketball program added to the annual Festival Kontakt, a Christian mission focused on community building, he instantly thought of Howard.

“They wanted to add sports to it. They started last year with the sports and they wanted to make it where it’s actually teaching kids something because last year they had somebody doing tricks, like ball handling and things like that,” Howard said of the festival, which has expanded over six years and whose volunteers have helped build a church, orphanage, housing and more there. “But they wanted to do basketball this time. So they wanted to get a group that could actually teach it.”

Howard said he was instantly intrigued but left it open when approached about the opportunity in April. As the dates for the trip – July 23-Aug. 1 – neared, a musician from Ohio – and fellow volunteer – whom Howard had been in contact with strongly encouraged him to do it.

With all expenses paid and goodwill in front of him, Howard couldn’t resist.

Once he arrived, Howard and crew went to work setting up two full courts in an outdoor plaza area at Manufaktura, a shopping mall in Lodz. Once assembled, curiosity ensued as kids started to show up for the camp, which was free and open to the public.

“We started with seven kids and we ended up with 30, 35,” Howard said. “On Friday we actually had a 3-on-3 tournament and pretty much the whole town came out to watch. We had like 30 teams. We had a girls bracket, a little kids bracket and an adult male, the older guys’ bracket.”

During the week, Howard and Co. used basketball as a platform from which to teach faith, hoops and other life lessons.

“They appreciate the stuff you’re doing and they want to learn more. And basketball, it was so easy to teach because they were eager to learn and they feel like you know more than them because you come from the States and are around these great basketball players like LeBron James and things like that,” Howard said. “We have closer access to them than they do. And all they do is like see them on TV and wish they could one day see them. We can go buy a ticket and go to a game if we want to and watch these guys. To see you come over there firsthand and to teach, they’re willing to learn.”

Basketball is helping make a difference in an area starting to embrace Christianity more than it had in the past, Howard said.

“People are accepting Christ over there,” he said. “And we’re using basketball as a tool to reach these kids.”

The camp would run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Howard said he got to witness some of the other forms of volunteer work being done, whether it be building homes or captivating folks with faith-based entertainment. He said he would try to support the other branches of the mission as had been done for those on the basketball court.

“I would go and watch some music late at night, whatever band was there – maybe listen to some jazz – to say thank you for supporting because they came to support us,” he said.

However, make no mistake, Howard says: This was no vacation. There were bigger powers at work.

“I didn’t go over there on a vacation trip. It was more like, hey, we’re here doing this job but I want to reach somebody,” Howard said. “And it turned out I reached a whole bunch of kids and adults.”

Howard said he made many friends there, many of whom have already become his friends on Facebook. He said he’s been awed by the experience and plans on going back next year.

“You never think of the impact you can make with something like this,” Howard said.

And with the basketball in his hand, he plans to keep spreading the good word.

“Like I say, all things are possible if you believe. Don’t let nobody say that your dreams can’t come true. Always have a Plan A; I don’t believe in a Plan B. Always stick to your plan and see it all the way through and it will happen. And I’m here; I’m a living witness,” Howard said. “Basketball – that little orange thing – got me to being a coach, got me to traveling the world teaching. That one thing that I pursued so hard that people [said] I need to do something else … now I’m living it. That’s all I want to do is show that to these kids.”

This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach native using basketball to spread faith around world."