LAWTON, Okla.–Tevin Foster’s professional basketball journey has taken him across the country and halfway around the world, from Oklahoma to Croatia and Serbia. Now, he’s using the skills he developed as a leader on the court to give back to youth in his hometown through B2E Training.
After returning home to Lawton a few years ago, Foster and his partner Lauren Henry, a former Lawton Public Schools basketball coach herself, quickly noticed a gap in opportunities for kids in Lawton looking to play sports. The City of Lawton has no youth sports leagues, leaving it up to a few community leagues that operate in the area.
One night while eating dinner, Foster and Henry brainstormed a way to fill in the gap. That’s when B2E Training (born to elevate) was born.
From youth camps and sports leagues to personal training and youth development, Foster and Henry have forged a new lane for youth to speed toward their goals.
“If we can get these kids to play more games and get into more leagues out here in Lawton, keep their minds off other things, then we’ll start winning more championships. Then we’ll start seeing more teams prospering wherever they go,” Foster told The Black Wall Street Times.
Notably, a 2017 study published in the American Sociological Review found that cities reduce violent crime when they fund more community programs.
“If you’re doing something for the kids, and it’s genuine love and you mean it, I’m all for it. It takes a village to build this commuity up. It can’t just be one person. Foster said.
Since launching B2E in 2021, the number of parents placing their kids in training under Foster and Henry has gone from one to over 120.
Tevin Foster: A pro baller’s journey
After graduating from Lawton High School, where he averaged 23 points per game, Tevin Foster made his way to South Dakota playing football. Yet, after one semester, he realized his true love was basketball and transferred to Seminole State, a junior college, as a red shirt freshman.
“Juco is a whole different ball game, dog eat dog. Everybody’s trying to get to the next level. And I was behind,” Foster said.
Despite the challenges, Foster excelled and transferred to Labette Community College in Kansas, where he became the leading scorer in the JayHawk conference that year. His basketball journey continued at Drury University, where he became another leader on the court.
“I became a winner and learned how to play in a system,” Foster said. However, playing pro basketball overseas was his ultimate dream.
The lessons he learned from his coaches at Drury stick with him to this day, but the favoritism he witnessed caused him to seek advice from his older brother, Craig Foster.
No stranger to success himself, Craig Foster led at Lawton High and led Cameron University to a championship season.
“People don’t really realize what big bro has done for Lawton, Oklahoma,” Tevin Foster said. His older brother advised him to give Abilene Christian University a try. Ultimately, Foster’s journey took him from D1 football, to D2 basketball, and back to D1.
“I led them to their first winning season,” Foster said.
After another successful season at the highest level of college basketball, Foster set his sights on his longtime dream, playing overseas.
“I’m looking people up on Facebook. Finally, I hit up this coach” from the top team in Croatia. “The coach wrote me back.”
The team’s budget was low, but “we need a point guard, we need a playmaker to come in,” the coach told Foster. With support from his tribe the Comanche Nation, in the form of a $5,000 stipend, Foster made the small salary stretch.
Without knowing a single person in the country, Foster moved from middle America to Croatia. He went on to lead KK Hermes Analitica Zagreb in scoring with 22.5 points per game.
After a successful season with Croatia, his new Croatian agent helped him secure a spot on a team in Serbia, where he signed a two-year contract with a higher salary.
After yet another winning season, Foster was prepared for his next year. Then Covid hit in 2020.
“I almost didn’t make it back to the states. I was the last flight out of Serbia,” Foster said.
The seeds of B2E training are born
Moving back to Lawton, Foster began supporting his brother’s nutrition shop, Lawton Nutrition, while figuring out his next move during the pandemic. It was also during this time he grew closer to former coach Lauren Henry, who became his partner in life and business.
While his overseas journey was put on pause, Tevin Foster eventually tried out for Potawatomi Fire, a a professional, Native American team. It became another winning season.
“They had me on billboards out there my first year,” Foster said. By his second year, Foster earned a championship ring in 2023. “It was special because I had been through so much.”
On the surface, Foster was still engaged in his basketball career. After narrowly missing the opportunity to play in the NBA G League for the Oklahoma City Blue, Foster had a successful season with the Frederick Flying Cows.
Meanwhile, under the surface, the seeds of what would become Lawton’s premiere youth sports training organization were beginning to sprout.
When Tevin Foster first moved back to Lawton during the pandemic, a parent asked him to help her daughter Isabella with one-on-one basketball training.
“She’s one of the best 8th graders in the state,” Foster said after seeing her progress over the years. “I’m talking about her growth, that ain’t biased. And that’s what inspired me and Lauren to take this to another level.”
At B2E’s fourth annual Christmas Youth Camp at the end of December, Isabella took home the Mamba Award. In honor of the late Kobe Bryant, the award was for outstanding achievement. Her dream is to reach the WNBA.
“It feels great because Kobe is my idol, too. So, Coach Tevin giving me the award means a lot to me,” Isabella said.
Foster had a piece of advice for people wanting to start youth trainings, camps or leagues in their own towns.
“Don’t be afraid. Set your mind to it, and go after it.”
To connect with B2E Training, visit their Facebook page.
Related Stories:
- Preventing Crime Requires Funding More Community Programs
- Westwin cobalt/nickel refinery faces opposition in Lawton
- No, the City of Lawton can’t ban Pit Bulls