This isn’t the first time Norman has given back to his hometown. He received the key to the city for all of his hard work and dedication to Greenwood. Norman has upcoming plans to help ensure youth have a safe place to play and connect with their peers as well.

“Our five-to-ten-year plan is having a building, a structure where kids can go, have fun and play, and be a kid. We miss that here,” Norman told FOX Carolina in an interview at the celebrity tournament. “There’s a lot of violence and shootings and things going on that shouldn’t be happening. Kids need it the most here. We want to have something for the kids to go to and have it be a safe haven.”

Norman added, “I’m a brother, a cousin, an uncle and a dad. I like to serve. I get a good reception back here, but it’s not about me, it’s about them, and I have a good time with them.”

Giving back to his community isn’t Norman’s only philanthropic work. He is also the founder of the Starz24 Foundation, which provides enrichment to children through engaging community events and youth programs. Upcoming, the foundation in collaboration with a major technology company, a major sponsor, and the local school district, is aiming to build or renovate and maintain a new technology center in Title I schools to expand personal learning opportunities and career exploration for its students. The foundation also facilitates a leadership program to provide economically-challenged high school students with a voice of motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for students to achieve academic excellence.

This past week, Norman was selected for the next upcoming Spring 2018 “Dancing with the Stars” that airs on ABC. To learn more about Norman and his foundation, visit Starz24.org.

About Starz24 Foundation

Starz24 Foundation provides enrichment to children through engaging community events and youth programs. With an emphasis on fitness and teamwork, Starz24 challenges youth to excel in areas that help develop strong interpersonal skills and an awareness of the world around them.

For more information about the foundation, please visit Starz24.org.

This article originally appeared on PR Newswire.

The post New ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Contestant Josh Norman Brought Celebrity Tournament to His Hometown appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.

Norbertas Giga is a senior forward for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks who moved from Lithuania to the United States in 2013 so he could play basketball. That was the last time he saw his family.

In preparation for the 2018 Ohio Valley Championships, Giga was staying at a hotel in Evansville, Indiana when his coaches called him into a conference room and told him that they wanted him to watch a movie.

But instead of playing a film, Giga’s mother walked in.

Overcome with emotion, Giga bursts into tears before hugging his beloved mom.

Giga tweeted: “A HUGE thank you to everybody that was involved in this surprise for me. I can’t even explain how much it means and how this moment feels to me. THANK YOU!”

(WATCH the video below)

This article originally appeared on Good News Network.

The post Watch Coaches Reunite Basketball Player With Mom He Hasn’t Seen in 5 Years appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.

18-year-old Meiergerd is a senior student with Down syndrome at West Point-Beemer High School in West Point, Nebraska. In addition to competing in the Special Olympics, the teen is also an honorary member of his school basketball team.

For the last two weeks, Meiergerd has been working to perfect his backwards half-court shot so he could show off during half-time.

When he successfully managed to sink the basket in front of the entire student body, the crowd went wild.

Footage of his impressive shot was shared so widely on social media, the Globetrotters invited him to be their guest of honor for their spring performance in Omaha.

(WATCH the stunning video below)

This article originally appeared on Good News Network.

The post After Scoring A Trick Shot, Teen With Down Syndrome is Contacted By Globetrotters appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.

Ok, so maybe it’s not sweeping the NATION, but it’s certainly a hit on the web.

In a new video posted by the Harlem Globetrotters, the world famous basketball team recruits gymnastics star Simone Biles, and in return, the pint-sized Olympic champion shows forward Hammer Harrison some of her moves on the horizontal bars, rings, and balance beam.

The 4’9” Biles couldn’t contain her smile as she donned the trademarked Globetrotters jersey and headband while attempting a slam dunk…on a mini hoop.

@simonebiles is a 4-time Olympic gold medalist but is she Globetrotter material?! Click the link in bio for full video! @hammer31 #simonebiles #gymnastics #athletes #superstar #houston #skills #dunk #awesome #videooftheday #espn #bleacherreport #whistleworthy #texas #globetrotter #harlemglobetrotters

A post shared by Harlem Globetrotters (@harlemglobetrotters) on Jul 5, 2017 at 9:38am PDT

At 6’9”, Harrison can do just about anything on the basketball court, but when he tried the balance beam, he was overcome with fear.

“This is the scariest thing I’ve done in my life!” he said while walking backward on the beam.

The video was a dual promotion for the Trotters and Biles as the hoops squad is visiting Houston in July for two games at NRG Arena, and the Magnolia City is home to Simone’s World Champions Centre gym.

A post shared by World Champions Centre (@worldchampionscentre) on Jun 24, 2015 at 3:01pm PDT

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(Photo Credit: YouTube)

The post Watch Olympic Champion Simone Biles Hang with the Harlem Globetrotters appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.

As a child, Caleb and his mother bounced around from homeless shelter to homeless shelter in Indianapolis. When his mother gave up parental rights in 2011, Caleb was adopted by recently-divorced father, Roosevelt Barnes.

“It allowed me to have someone in the house that I could love again really,” Barnes told CBS Sunday Morning’s Steve Hartman.

Caleb’s chaotic early life led to bad eating habits and a massive weight gain. As an eighth-grader, Swanigan topped the scales at 360 pounds.

“It is a lot more expensive to eat healthy than it is to eat unhealthy,” Swanigan said in an interview with ESPN. “If you’re in a position to eat right, then you should eat right. Sometimes, financially, it just isn’t right.”

This is Caleb Swanigan (in the yellow shirt) in 8th grade, working out with his brother, Carl Jr. “Biggie” has changed his body and life. pic.twitter.com/636PYasQj4

— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) January 24, 2017

Once he found a stable home environment with Barnes, Caleb revealed to his new adoptive father his desire to play basketball. A former professional football player, Barnes encouraged his son to overcome and conquer his obesity and achieve his hardwood dreams.

“When he couldn’t jump over a piece of paper, I was telling him ‘you’re great, you’re the best power forward in the world,’” Barnes told Hartman. “I was speaking faith. Faith is a substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen,” he added.

“I guess he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself at that point,” Swanigan said.

Under his father’s tutelage, Caleb succeeded in shedding pounds, became a stud on the basketball court, and excelled in the classroom. As a sophomore, his 3.3 GPA recently earned him the honor of Academic All-American.

His past life on the streets still fresh in his mind, Caleb is grateful for his change of fortune.

“It feels like I’ve had two lives really,” he told Hartman. “Like I died and then had a reincarnation.”

(Photo credit: CBS News)

The post Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan Rises from Homelessness and Obesity to Basketball Stardom appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.