Each month the Southern Conference will feature a student-athlete from around the league in a series called the SoCon Spotlight. This will be an opportunity to get acquainted with the student-athlete in a different light. The question and answer session will focus on a student-athlete who contributes away from the field, course, mat or court through community service.
This SoCon Athlete Spotlight focuses on Davidson's Bryant Barr, a senior math and economics double major from Falmouth, Maine. Barr is a guard for the Wildcats' men's basketball team, and when he's not on the court, he's working on an event known as the Davidson BuzzKill. The event includes a 3-on-3 basketball tournament along with auctions that helps raise money for Nothing But Nets, a campaign started by the United Nations to help purchase malaria nets that are sent to African countries. We recently sat down with Barr to talk about his experiences with the Davidson BuzzKill as well as being a student-athlete at Davidson.
Tell us about yourself.
"I'm a senior at Davidson on the basketball team. I'm from Falmouth, Maine. I'm a double major with math and economics. I play shooting guard."
What made you decide to play basketball at Davidson?
"There were three main things I was looking for in a college when I started the college search. One was academics; I really wanted to go to a school that was going to push me academically and set me up for life after basketball. I wanted to go to a school that would really push me in terms of basketball - I could play at the highest level possible. I felt like Davidson has provided that. I was looking for a school that spiritually I could grow in my faith. I felt like things on campus and things that I could get involved with outside of campus were really good for me in terms of that. It was just a good combination of all three of those things."
You spearheaded an event called the Davidson BuzzKill last year that included a 3-on-3 basketball tournament to raise money for Nothing But Nets. Can you tell us more about the event, and what led you to start it?
"The Davidson BuzzKill event is a fundraiser for the United Nations Foundation campaign Nothing But Nets. All the money that we raise goes toward the purchase of malaria nets for African countries. Malaria is a huge problem in Africa right now. One of the most dramatic statistics that really pops out at you is that a child dies every 30 seconds due to malaria. The disease affects Africa's economy so much that they lose almost $12 billion every year due to malaria. That's what's estimated. I felt we could use Nothing But Nets and tie it in really well with Davidson basketball. There's a lot of excitement in the community, in the Davidson area and in the Charlotte area. We did a 3-on-3 tournament for third through eighth graders. We also had live and silent auctions. Last year we raised over $16,000. The purchase of a net is $10, so we were able to buy 1,600 nets. Up to four people can sleep under those nets, so that directly affects over 6,400 people."
Is the Davidson BuzzKill an event that you plan to continue and what are dates of that going to be this year?
"We had a lot of success last year with the event. We're planning on doing it again this year. The date right now is Sunday, May 2, so we're really excited about that. The whole team will be involved in the event like it was last year. I talked to Stephen Curry the other day. He was my roommate here for three years. He'll be done with his season, so he's going to be back here helping out. He'll be there on the day of the event. That should help us out a lot in terms of getting people in the door. I'm really excited about it. Hopefully we can continue this after I leave. JP Kuhlman, a freshman this year, has expressed some interest in it. Hopefully I can pass it off to him when I graduate this May."
What have you learned about yourself through the event?
"One reason that I really wanted to do it is as a Division I basketball player I'm very fortunate. I've been very blessed. We've been able to do a tremendous amount of things - travel a lot and get to see a lot of new places. We had the opportunity right before school started this year to go to Italy and Slovenia. I've been really blessed and really fortunate to do some amazing things. This was one way that I felt like I could give a little back. There are people all over the world who don't know when their next meal is coming, don't know if they're going to have a warm bed to sleep in, even a place that they're going to be dry at night to sleep. It was pretty easy for me. All I had to do was give up some time. I had a lot of help from a lot of different people in the Davidson community. I think it goes to a really good cause."
What would you say to other student-athletes who are considering community service? How has it helped you? Would you recommend it? What kind of advice would you give them?
"I think it's a great thing. It's really not that hard. I put in a lot of time last spring in preparation for this event. I had a ton of help. People are really willing to help you out and get behind your cause. I was amazed at how much support I had from people at school, people from church and people in the community that really wanted to help out. We had five or six sponsors for the event that covered more than the costs for the event. It's really not that hard. We have the opportunity to do a lot of amazing things. To give a little bit of ourselves is not too much to ask for."
Having so many responsibilities, how do you help yourself keep focused and maintain balance?
"There's a lot with academics, especially at a school like Davidson, basketball and trying to have somewhat of a life outside of those two things. It's really just staying organized, staying on top of your assignments, scheduling things out and laying it out. If you're organized and scheduled, then it's really not too bad, you can fit everything in."
What is the best part about being a student-athlete at Davidson?
"I love going to Davidson. It's a pretty small school, 1,700 kids. I think that's one of the most exciting things about it. There's so much support from the school, from your professors and from the community. You look into the stands during a game, and you see people that you go to class with. It's a small enough school that you recognize almost everybody and you know a lot of people. The people that are in the stands are people that are your friends that you really know well. You end up going to things to support them. I have a couple good friends that come to all of my games. One of them is in the orchestra, so I've gone to that. The other one is involved with theatre, so I've gone to several of her plays. It gives you a chance to do a lot of fun things."
A lot of people have been wondering about your nickname, "White Lobster". Is that something that you got at Davidson, or did that come before Davidson?
"No, that was something that I got at Davidson. I really didn't know too much about it until the end of my sophomore year. Obviously it comes from the fact that I'm from Maine, and lobsters are pretty popular. I don't tan very well. I have pretty pasty skin. It's been a lot of fun. There's a sophomore that dresses up in a big white lobster costume for every game. What started off as something kind of fun and a joke has kind of blown up into something bigger, but it's a lot of fun."
For more information on the Davidson Buzzkill, click here.
2009-10 SoCon Spotlight Featured Student-Athletes
Appalachian State - Sam Ramirez - Basketball (view article and interview)
College of Charleston - Emily Morgan - Soccer (view article and interview)
The Citadel - Lauren Fleming - Track & Field (view article and interview)
Davidson - Bryant Barr - Basketball (view article and interview)
Elon - Steven Kinney - Soccer (view article and interview)
Furman - Jessica Preeg - Tennis (view article and interview)
Georgia Southern - Jake Ware - Baseball (view article and interview)
UNC Greensboro - Emily Akiyama - Softball (view article and interview)
Samford - Patrick Wells - Track & Field (view article and interview)
Chattanooga - Maria Juliana Loza - Golf (view article and interview)
Western Carolina - Kristen Feemster - Basketball (view article and interview)
Wofford - Jordan Ingman - Football (view article and interview)