Honoring Our Military Through Basketball
The Tragedy Assistance Program (TAPS) began in 1994 to help surviving family members grieve the death of a family member in the Armed Forces. Families of fallen heroes are given access to a number of peer support groups and survivor seminars across the country.
Starting in 2013, the teams4taps initiative was born. The idea for this program is to connect families of fallen heroes with their favorite professional sports team. The relationship between teams4taps and the NBRA started with referee Scott Foster donating the tickets he received for each game to a TAPS family. The program has now evolved into meaningful opportunities for the surviving family members to tour locker rooms, gain on-court access and meet with coaches, players and referees.
Recently, the officiating crews in Charlotte, North Carolina met with several families of fallen heroes before the Hornets vs. Raptors matchup up on Friday night and the Hornets vs. Wizards matchup on Monday evening.
On Friday night, referees Scott Foster, Tony Brothers and Tre Maddox had the privilege of meeting the Shipman family. Brittany Shipman is the surviving sibling of Sgt. Thomas Lee Latham. Thomas was serving in Baghdad, Iraq, when he died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Brittany attended with her husband Travis and their two children Devon (age 10) and Callie (age 5).
A few days later, the Batista family joined referees Jacyn Goble, Zach Zarba and Matt Boland in Charlotte for a tour of their locker room and on-court access before the game. Janice Batista, the surviving spouse of the late Lance Corporal Efrain Sanchez, Jr, and their daughter Selena were both in attendance. LCpl. Sanchez, Jr died on July 17, 2005 in an accident while deployed at Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
“We had a great experience with the Batista family in Charlotte,” said referee Matt Boland. “First, we met them in the lobby of our hotel and headed to the arena. Then we spent some time in our locker room before heading out to the court. Out there they were able to sit on the Charlotte bench, meet their favorite players and even take a few shots on the court.”
The NBRA is honored to take part in this important cause, honoring our military and making surviving family members’ days a little brighter. It is truly a great experience for all.
