About

THE RIGHT TOUCH BASKETBALL PHILOSOPHY

Right Touch Training & Development has been producing collegiate Basketball players in the State of Arizona since 2001. Athletes have gone on to play at NCAA Div 1, Div 2, NAIA & Junior College programs. Right Touch firmly believes in teaching and equipping young players to perform at a high level of basketball as well as preparing them to take advantage of opportunities for competitive play.

Right Touch Basketball is currently running programs with the City of Avondale, City of Litchfield Park. RTB is also a proud sponsor of the South West Valley Regional YMCA.

EDUCATION

Right Touch is committed to making sure our players understand the importance of excelling in school in addition to excelling on the basketball court. Good grades throughout the school year are expected and regularly monitored by our trainers. If a player receives a "C" or below average grade in any subject, they will be spoken to by their trainer and, in many cases, suspended from the program until grades are improved upon.

ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO CREATE HIGHLY VISIBLE STUDENT ATHLETES, THUS PROVIDING THEM WITH POTENTIAL POSSIBILITIES FOR ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLEGE LEVEL PLAY.

LOOKING FOR A TEAM?

Right Touch is affiliated with many club basketball programs in Phoenix and it's surrounding areas. Teams are available for players ages 8 - 16.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL: 623-329-1472

WHO IS RIGHT TOUCH BASKETBALL?

Kwame Hymes

Founder & President

Basketball has always been an integral part of Kwame Hymes’s life. After years of hard work, the opportunity to play professionally was quickly approaching. He had been battling, what he thought, was a hernia and fatigue for several months before giving into his coaches suggestion to see a physician. What he found out, changed his life forever. He was in stage four, the final stage, of Hodgkins Disease, a type of cancer that attacks the lymphnodes. He immediately flew home to Arizona, abandoning his studies, and basketball career to begin the fight of his life.

He spent years trying to find out how to feel fulfilled without basketball, until he came to the understanding that he didn’t have to. After re-evaluating his battle with illness, symptoms that should have alerted him early on, were ignored. Kwame’ Hymes found Athletes 4 Awareness, a cancer education program designed to bring focus to early detection, in the hopes that others could benefit from his story. The organization’s first event , Hoops for Awareness, was held on July 18, 2009, at US Airways Center. Kwame was able to bring parents and their children together through sports. He held a basketball clinic on the floor of the arena, which was a treat for all athletes involved, but he also invited valley clinics to speak to parents about early detection, and the importance of regular check-ups. Kwame shared his story, reminding parents to listen to their bodies, while keeping themselves healthy. No one should have to give up their dreams, or miss out on seeing their children live out their dreams.

Along with leading Athletes 4 Awareness, Kwame is the owner and lead trainer of Right Touch Basketball Training and Development. He prides himself on preparing students to compete at “the next level”. Additionally, Kwame is a Chairman of the Phoenix Urban Sports Collaboration Committee, as well as the head coach and director of Arizona Legacy Club Basketball program.

Sam Stith

Right Touch Basketball Director

As a high school All-American basketball player at St. Francis Prep in New York City, Sam guided his team to three National Basketball Championships. His collegiate career found him at St. Bonaventure University where he led his team to three N.I.T appearances in Madison Square Garden. Sam played Professional Basketball with the Cleveland Pipers of the A.B.A, the Harlem Wizards and the New York Knicks of the N.B.A. He is a Vice President of the Phoenix Chapter of “Legends of Basketball”.

Since moving to Arizona, Sam, working with Right Touch Basketball, has conducted various basketball clinics and camps for young adults. Sam is currently serving as the Board of Directors for South West Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Chairman of the New York City, "Rucker Park Pro Legends".

Sam Stith ’60 (#22 )
St. Bonaventure Varsity Basketball Playing Years
VIEW ARENA DISPLAY
1957-58,1958-59,1959-60

Sam Captained St. Bonaventure’s 1960 Team
Sam’s 48 field goals, eclipsed the old National Invitational Tournament (NIT), mark of 44 set by Maurice Stokes of St. Francis College/ Loretto,PA.
New York Newspapers in 1960 acclaimed that Sam and Tom Stith were the greatest brother act in basket ball history at the time.
Sam the older of the two by a year, was a defensive catalyst, helping to initiate the team’s “nervous-zone” defense.
Sam also was a complete player who scored 1,112 career points and grabbed 620 rebounds in just a three year period.

Bernard Thompson

Director of Player Development / Trainer
Former NBA Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers.

Great new addition to the Right Touch Basketball Family. Bernard will be training youth for the Basketball 101, 102 & 505 training clinics in the Surprise area. One more addition of excellence and professionalism to the Right Touch team.

Professional Experience

California State University Fresno, Bachelor of Science of Criminology, May 1987
National Basketball Association (NBA) 1984 draft pick Portland Trail Blazers 1st round pick 19 overall
1983 represented the United States in the World Games in Canada, received a Bronze Medal.

National Basketball Association Experience