By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Whether he’s contributing points on the scoreboard or facilitating plays for the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team, Nolan Hickman’s leadership and commitment to giving back and helping others extends far beyond the basketball court. As the founder of The Give Back Foundation, Hickman has managed to bring smiles to the faces of both young athletes and their parents through his annual basketball camps that are free for kids ages 8-13.
The camp, which is in its fifth year and was hosted this year at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, aims to create positive change in the lives of youth and families.
At just 20 years old, Hickman’s comprehension and attentiveness toward the importance of giving back to the community speaks great volumes to the young adult he has grown into.
With a mission centered on enhancing the well-being of young individuals and equipping families with essential resources for lasting impact, Hickman has effectively translated his intentions into action, as he strives to foster an inclusive environment for youth to excel in life, sports, and leadership,
Despite early challenges in establishing his foundation, Hickman, with the support of his former AAU program, Seattle Rotary, has been able to make sure that participants in the camp are able to attend at no cost.
“I wanted to be a trendsetter, but I also just wanted to see and challenge myself to try and touch every single family that has a younger hooper in the household and bring them to the light,” said Hickman. “Get them out of the house, be around other hoopers and different peers they don’t get to see every day, that’s what the youth need nowadays.”
For Hickman, The Give Back Foundation is a family affair, which includes the time and community service efforts of both of his parents and two younger siblings. Guided by the notion that giving back is a movement and they are a family that gives back, the Hickman’s have been able to provide resources and help bridge the gap for basic needs within the community. Through sports, school supplies, health, and nutrition, the desire of their family is to see all children enjoy the basic fundamental childhood experiences without any form of fear, doubt, worry, or exclusion.
“I’m beyond proud to see Nolan give back,” said Nolan’s mother Champale Hickman. “I’ve often mentioned to Nolan if you’re not giving back then what’s the point? “So, giving back has always been what he is supposed to do. To see these kids look up in amazement, I can only hope they walk away wanting to do the same.”
With both young boys and girls in attendance, campers, led by Hickman and numerous volunteers, hit the hardwood running. After stretching, campers are split up into groups at four different stations that teach them defense, ballhandling and finishing, passing, and shooting.
After the skill development session, campers are given the opportunity to display their newfound skills in three-on-three and five-on-five scrimmages. The excitement and enthusiasm from everyone in the gym is evident as the participants also received pointers from volunteers to help enhance their game.
Nolan’s impact has gone further than basketball camps. In 2019, he raised $3,500, during the height of COVID-19 in 2020 he raised $5,000 which he donated to Rotary Boys and Girls Club, and in 2021 he celebrated Women’s History Month by collecting 1,200 coats and donating them to local women’s shelters. His giving spirit led to Seattle native and retired NBA player Jamal Crawford taking notice of Hickman’s work in the community and with youth.
“I’ve never seen someone your age do what you are doing, and for you to already understand the importance of giving back. I see you,” Crawford expressed.
“Like I’ve always said the youth is the future, passing down gems and giving them as much game as possible is what motivates me to keep doing what I do for the community,” said Hickman. “I’ve experienced a lot, maybe not everything there is about basketball but I’ve learned and experienced a lot, and I feel like that only helps me to give advice to the young generation.”
Although basketball plays a huge role in the foundation, it does not define everything that they have in store for the future. The Give Back Foundation plans to network with other organizations throughout the state to help expand their reach and impact.
“It’s truly amazing to see the kids light up, Nolan has often said he was once the kid that looked up to the older Seattle basketball legends,” said Champale Hickman. “Not knowing if they seen him, so the whole point of the foundation is letting the kids know he sees them and whatever he can do he’s got them.”
For all information and updates, The Give Back foundation can be found on Instagram @tgbfoundation and on their website www.thegivebackfnd.com.
