NGU Athlete Daniel Burchette Nominated for 2019 Give Back Team
Posted on: February 4, 2021
Tigerville, SC (February 25, 2019) The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) recognized North Greenville University athlete Daniel Burchette (expected ’19) from Weaverville, N.C. as a nominee for the 2019 NABC Give Back Team.
The NABC Give Back Team honors men’s college basketball student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions through volunteerism and community service.
Criteria for this award, as listed on the NABC website, explains they seek students who “are actively involved in and committed to working with charitable organizations or service groups on or off campus and display extraordinary devotion to a personal cause in their lives.”
“Each year in men’s college basketball, a large number of student-athletes make extraordinary and selfless contributions, enriching the lives of others locally, nationally and globally,” said Jim Haney, executive director of the NABC and NABC Foundation. “The Give Back Team provides an opportunity to recognize their outstanding accomplishments away from the court.”
Summer of 2018, Burchette traveled with Crossfire Ministries to three different countries in a span of two weeks. Crossfire is a non-profit organization located in Asheville, NC that has been sharing the Gospel message since 1993.
“My goal for this trip was to just love on people and share the love of Jesus to people who may have never heard it or may not have the opportunity to hear it again,” said Burchette.
The team started their trip in Tokyo, Japan, where they spent the day with 1,300 school children handing out tracks. For the next ten days, the mission team traveled throughout the Philippines. “We hoped to bring some encouragement and leave a positive impact on their lives,” said Burchette.
Burchette shared the Gospel with the students in the mornings and hosted basketball camps in the afternoons. The basketball camps aimed to help boys ranging from ages seven to thirteen. At the end of the basketball games, the team handed out t-shirts, basketballs, and Bibles.
The team ended each day by playing basketball games against a Filipino team at courts located in the middle of the city. Every night 3,000 to 5,000 people watched the games. During halftime, the team set aside the basketball and shared the story of Christ with the crowd.
“One thing I learned in the Philippines is that they absolutely love basketball and they love Americans, so when you combine the two, you create an amazing platform to try and leave lasting impacts on thousands of people at once,” said Burchette.
In addition to visiting several schools, the team also had the opportunity to speak at police headquarters. At one point during the trip, a city invited the team to ride in the back of a truck for a town parade.
After traveling throughout the Philippines, the team flew to Incheon, South Korea where they continued to speak in schools and host basketball camps.
“I am so thankful I had this opportunity to shine a little light on them, give out gifts and just spread love with them. Getting to meet and speak with thousands of people of another culture was life-changing for me,” said Burchette.
During Burchette’s two-week trip overseas, an estimated 15,000 people decided to follow Christ.
For more information about the NABC’s Give Back Team, visit the NABC website.
Story by NGU Communications Intern Hannah Hurst (expected ’19)
