>> They say kids don’t play no
more. My reply 3 times a day and every morning at 5 COVID
and every morning at 5 COVID
Cain went on the run and put
19 on that.
I’m a A plan time. It’s gone.
It was already limited where
the coaches they interest, says
women last year set them back
on the stand. You. But to the
powers that be, you should know
the set me back to.
>> Now that is powerful.
You just watched a snippet of
the mini documentary Hoop
Dreams Deferred. It Sheds Light
on how the COVID-19 pandemic
impacted. The high school
athletic community. Joining me
live in studio this morning is
local athlete Nathaniel Greene.
He produced this film with help
from his sister by telling his
journey through this story.
So we so much appreciate unit
Daniel coming on. Also with
Nathaniel this morning, his
mom and the Kia Cooper and
coach Ben Simons.
>> Ben Simmons. It’s tax
relapse, right for me are out
there thank you all for coming
in. And I chatting with us this
morning about this. You know,
the moment I saw this
>> film this documentary, I got
cold chills. It was extremely
empowering. Extremely moving.
Where did this idea come from?
Pretty much that?
>> You COVID pretty much impact
majority of the lives of the
high school. You know, too
many. And we just want to like
show everybody like what it
looks like. An athlete in
Sunday’s thing. I like how
COVID affected Yeah. It
impacted all parts of our
lives. For many. These are our
outlets. These are our.
>> Our ways of staying, you
know, with with times and in
keeping.
>> Ourselves healthy. Mom, you
must be so proud.
>> I am very proud of you all
know how proud of him all the
time. I’m bragging on my
children all the time. You
know, I am the current
president of the Houston
Association of Black
Journalists and the National
Association of Black
Journalists and Public
Partnership with the Chan
Zuckerberg Initiative put out
this call to journalists and
freelance of people of members
of the media to say tell the
story of COVID-19, how it
impacted anyone between the
K through 12 population and I
am always looking through to
get my children involved in
things in my daughter is a
student journalist. And but
the kids are very much even
obviously I’m in media. So
right. So they’ve been raised
in the newsrooms and we decided
to tell Nathaniel story because
it was just it. He was
definitely impacted during this
pandemic impacted in something
that we can all look back on
and be empowered by. Was there
a moment? Was there a duration
through the pandemic,
Nathaniel, that you were not
able?
>> To turn to the court that
you were not able to go out
and play ball.
>> Right. So pretty much with
the they should now lie pretty
much off a silly. So even got
some point. They even playing
street ball, right? Yeah.
That’s what the court takes up.
The Rams Dow. So pretty much
you
could in like go shoot ball
anywhere you could yet that
anything that the new you know,
go bike or our little, you
know, some like that. Anything
that you have, what, as far
as going out into the world
like nah, everything’s closed
down.
>> And again, that impacts,
you know, there was quite some
time. We did not know what the
long-term impact would be.
Street ball was not an option
because there was that contact
a coach. How did this impact
your life? Your work? Well,
my work working with a lot of
student athletes and consulting
with parents. It was very
difficult because the kids were
isolated, you know, and they
weren’t able to grow.
>> And the normal way they had
been growing and train even
going to school and learn in
the game. Even even the
classroom. It really affected
that. So kids weren’t able to
do what they would normally
used to doing. And so with that
isolation, there was some
developmental issues with kids
there with some mental issues
with a lot of the students and,
you know, and dealing with all
of NCAA and high school
situations for the kids, it
became very difficult for him.
>> When things went back into
play coach, did you did you
realize or notice a difference
in athletes as far as their
ability being rusty?
>> Time off.
>> not just that. But the
mental aspect of it, the
approach to the game, all of
the things that they had to do,
that they were normally used to
doing. And the way we had set
up a system to train and as a
problem for you as well, it
became really it was really
different. And you just saw
different in their maturity saw
different in their skill level
and their preparation for the
next level. It was totally
totally thrown off. A little
extra practice was needed.
Nathaniel, what’s next? Mister?
Yes, so.
>> I’m going to go.
>> And go to the Final 4 this
weekend. Haha.
>> I’m going to go.
>> And going to a junior
college so I can get my grades
right. And then after that, I’m
going to go.
And, you know, pursue the dream
of going to be one. So we will
be cheering you on the entire
way. I know mom is extremely
proud. Pfd are extremely proud
of you. And of course, all the
hard work that
>> goes into the key of being
the number
>> Thank you. Can I say
something? So I really want
give this take this moment to
really say my thanks to coach
Ben because that they lost his
father during the pandemic.
So on top of everything else,
shutting down, I became a
mother who was not a basketball
aficionados, right? I do not
know anything about it. I was
the dance mom. I was a bomb
that the deal a children’s
guitar lessons in piano and all
of that and ballet. And I went
to coach be and I even went
to some of our gentleman here
at in our sports department
to say, what do I do next?
And that is how took me by the
hand, took my son and his swing
and said we’re going to take
some extra steps, coaching him
and then sent him to strengthen
motion. The basketball Academy,
a charter school or what is it?
A college preparatory school to
school make a post grad school
to get his skill set level up
and everything like that.
So if it wasn’t for someone
like bin to help with these
young man, a lot of the
children don’t know that there
are other options out here yet.
It truly takes a community that
really does.
>> Really quick or our having
to wrap it. I want it. Where
can people go to watch your
video?
>> On YouTube, you to you to
YouTube. So you just got to
type and hope dreams deferred
and you will see that. And you
can also see it on by. You beat
news dot com. Also love it.
And we, of course, will put all
of this information on our