Higgins Brand sponsors countywide initiative focused on mentorship, sports, community engagement
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
The July 4 shooting at Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island was the catalyst that convinced local businessman Jake Higgins it was time to stop talking about ways to help teenagers and start building one.
Just weeks after the shooting left multiple people injured and a Beaufort County grand jury indicted seven defendants – most of them teenagers or young adults – on charges stemming from the incident, Higgins has announced the launch of the Beaufort County Police Athletic League (PAL), a new organization designed to connect young people with positive role models through sports, mentorship and community involvement.
Officially registered with National PAL and sponsored by Higgins Brand, the new organization will focus on serving Beaufort County teens ages 13 to 17.
In a July 9 Facebook post announcing the initiative, Higgins said the recent violence in the community compelled him to act.
“As a father, law enforcement officer and large employer in every single community here in Beaufort County, I and many others are compelled to do more,” Higgins wrote. “We need to work harder to save this place we all call home.”
Rather than waiting until young people become involved in crime, Higgins said he wants to invest in them beforehand by creating opportunities to build relationships with trusted adults, develop leadership skills and strengthen their connection to the community.
“It’s not just about basketball,” Higgins said during an interview with The Island News. “Basketball is just the vehicle.”
Building relationships before problems begin
While basketball will be the program’s first organized activity, Higgins said the long-term vision extends far beyond athletics.
The organization’s first initiative will be the “Hoop It Up Challenge,” featuring 3-on-3 basketball tournaments and solo 3-point competitions for Beaufort County teens ages 13 to 17. Winning teams and the individual 3-point champion will each receive $500.
Dates and locations for the events have not yet been announced, but Higgins said games will be held in communities throughout Beaufort County rather than at a single location.
As the organization grows, he hopes to expand beyond basketball into football, baseball, softball, volleyball, fishing, arts programs and other activities.
The goal, Higgins said, is not to create another sports league but to use athletics as a way to connect teenagers with positive adult mentors.
He envisions law enforcement officers, military members, pastors, educators, business owners, coaches and other community volunteers building relationships with participants that extend well beyond games and practices.
“We want the whole community involved,” Higgins said.
Meeting teens where they are
Unlike many youth organizations that require families to travel, Higgins said Beaufort County PAL plans to bring programming directly into communities across the county.
“We will specifically go into each community from St. Helena to Hilton Head to Bluffton to Burton,” Higgins wrote in his July 9 announcement.
He said transportation should never be a barrier preventing teenagers from participating and hopes to make the program accessible to families throughout Beaufort County.
The organization will operate under the motto, “Every Teen Matters,” promoting safety, respect for others, self-discipline and the value of human life.
Participants will also have opportunities to earn prizes through competitions and positive achievements, including awards of up to $500.
A community effort
Although the organization carries the Police Athletic League name, Higgins said the initiative is intended to involve the entire community.
He is encouraging current and retired law enforcement officers, military personnel, pastors, business owners, educators and community leaders to volunteer as mentors and role models while also inviting residents to support the effort by attending events and encouraging participating teens.
Higgins also said the organization is partnering with local parents who have lost children to acts of violence, saying they are committed to helping ensure other families do not experience the same tragedy.
“Many community leaders, business workers and owners have asked me, ‘How can we fix this?'” Higgins wrote. “Well, this is your answer. Jump in with me, all the way.”
Higgins’ July 9 announcement also generated immediate support on social media. Among those publicly offering assistance were Beaufort Police Department Sgt. Joseph Babkiewicz, former Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka, business owners and numerous community members who volunteered to help sponsor the program, coach participants or assist with events. Others encouraged Higgins to make the initiative public so it could reach more residents.
For Higgins, success won’t be measured by championships or participation numbers.
Instead, he said, it will be measured by whether Beaufort County’s teenagers build meaningful relationships with adults who care about them, discover new opportunities and realize their community is willing to invest in their future before they ever need a second chance.
Organizers are currently recruiting volunteers, mentors and community partners. Teens ages 13 to 17 interested in participating in the Hoop It Up Challenge can contact Higgins Brand.
Tournament dates and locations expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.