By NKyTribune columnist Steve Flairty
A.W. Hamilton, the men’s basketball coach of Eastern Kentucky University, enjoys winning, and he has achieved a lot of success there. Two of his teams have finished in the top five winning teams in the program’s history in just seven seasons. 104 school records have been broken by his program. Additionally, his Colonels aim to maintain the success with another elite recruitment class scheduled for this fall.
But for Coach Hamilton, winning games is just one aspect of it, and the Richmond community is appreciative of that. He frequently encourages his players to get involved in volunteer work. By doing this, he helps the local population and teaches his players important life lessons.
Leading pep rallies to encourage academic achievement in nearby elementary schools, creating and delivering beds for youth in need of a restful night’s sleep, interacting with residents of a nearby assisted living facility, preparing meals to feed hungry kids, or providing support at Special Olympic events are a few examples of these outreach activities.
All of this is a part of what Hamilton refers to as teaching the full person, and playing basketball at EKU requires being well-rounded. Early in the recruiting process, he informs young men of the qualities that a potential EKU basketball player must possess in order to meet that criterion.
According to Hamilton, you must be gifted, coachable, competitive, and like playing. You also need to have excellent character and be committed in the community, not only in playing basketball here as a student-athlete.
Although it’s a lot to ask, this coach sets an example.
It’s about servant leadership, and Hamilton and his team find resonance in the message. Beginning his fourth season under Hamilton, Turner Buttry has undoubtedly understood the message. Buttry noted that although players have a large platform, it should never be utilized just for athletic purposes. We wish to contribute by attempting to promote positivity off the court as well.
Michael Moreno, a five-year basketball player at EKU, said of Hamilton’s leadership style: “As many have heard, he preaches that we are a small part of something much bigger than ourselves.” It is much simpler to get people to buy into the program when we learn that it isn’t just about us.
A initiative the Colonels completed last year with an outreach in Central Kentucky called Sleep in Heavenly Peace really captured Hamilton’s attention.
“We built and delivered beds for children in our community who didn’t have any,” he stated. It opened my eyes since I had no idea how many children lived without a proper bed, and our guys were able to provide them with one. We entered areas where the floor would only have mattresses.
When our people showed out that Saturday, brought the beds in, built them, and took a photo with the kids, they made so many kids for the entire year. Clearly, it had a significant impact.
Kevin Thornsberry, the local chapter’s co-president, commended the EKU players and management who provided assistance, describing them as being excellent, kind, and helpful. What we requested them to do—carry the items, put them together, and (bring) them into people’s homes—did not matter. It was obvious that they wanted to support the local community.
Executive Director Donna Agee is aware that her residents will talk about Hamilton and his staff for a week due to the positive experiences they had at the Dominion Senior Living of Richmond, an assisted-living facility that houses many former EKU students. Team members engage in enjoyable activities, sign schedules and photos, and have one-on-one conversations with residents. Chelsea, Hamilton’s wife, and her group of EKU cheerleaders have also visited Dominion in a similar manner and take part in volunteer work in Richmond.
“He (Hamilton) just takes over the building when they show up,” Agee remarked. We are completely enamored with every guy he brings in. Agee mentioned that an 84-year-old woman at Dominion might not have ever seen a 6-9 basketball player in person, and that many of the residents find that the team’s visit offers them special experiences. Agee pointed out that many of these residents take these things very seriously.
“Our guys didn’t realize that one person dies every four seconds of starvation and the impact they got to make by spending six hours out there packing was going to save lives,” Hamilton said of his team’s work with the Eastside Community Church on a project related to world child hunger.
The church’s communications director, Stacie McWilliams, commended Hamilton’s players for joining the 739 volunteers who participated in last year’s Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack program, which packed 186,624 meals for underprivileged kids worldwide. “We were honored to have the basketball team from EKU serve with us,” McWilliams added. Their presence energized our community-wide endeavor, and their passion and servant-hearted character left a lasting impression.
Hamilton’s team worked with the mayor and local government to renovate the playground and basketball court at Richmond’s Dillingham Park as part of a hoops-related initiative. Events hosted by Late Night with the Colonels have contributed to the area’s resurgence as a hub for community inspiration. In collaboration with Hamilton, Mayor Robert Blythe commended the EKU coach for recognizing and addressing the significance of the local university and its community.
Blythe, Richmond’s first African American mayor, stated that he had a genuine understanding of town and gown. It’s a reciprocal relationship.
Blythe indicated the significance of the school to the community by referencing the history of the previous Richmond Colored School Ramblers insignia on the court. A.W. is well aware of this and promotes understanding and reverence for the past. And what’s amazing is how many people from all across the neighborhood have shown up for the event in recent years. A.W. is just an expert in all types of games and award-giving. He challenges all of the children, and they enjoy it. He is really kind and supportive to his teammates. He makes demands of them as well, and they comply.
Like Hamilton, Blake Harris is a native of Georgetown and spent years as a highly regarded student manager for both Hamilton and EKU basketball. On the court and in the community, Harris might be considered a front-row seat to the dynamic mentor’s coaching style. Sitting there was a big inspiration to him.
According to Harris, Coach Hamilton welcomed Richmond as if it were the state’s largest basketball metropolis from the minute he set foot there. Richmond is now an EKU basketball town, and they know they have something to be proud of, even though it has taken a lot of effort to get the community involved and supportive. Coach Hamilton has been outstanding in demonstrating his passion for his community.
Harris concluded his remarks by stating that Hamilton’s all-time favorite quote is straightforward: “It’s not what you get… it’s what you give.”
Furthermore, it’s not an awful way for anyone to live.