Untitled Document

Bret B. Nichols is a nationally and internationally recognized individual driven to bring out the growth of others. A professional athlete, respected motivational speaker, and successful entrepreneur, he has touched the lives of very different people all over the world.

Having played professional basketball, Nichols knows the drive everyone has to be competitive, to get ahead, and to achieve success on their way to being the best. Having been player/coach of the New York Nationals, who play against the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, has given Nichols the experience of being at the top of professional basketball in a very unique way. This has enabled him to give a different perspective on the misunderstood role sports can play in a world that is so attracted to these media-exploded stars. Playing for over three years within an organization whose members are ambassadors of good will has given Nichols a worldly experience, appearing in all but four states within the United States and well over ten different countries internationally.

Struggling to chase the end of his rainbow, as a partly Irishman Nichols tried his luck to play for a team in Dublin, Ireland, as well as a team in Nottingham, England. These foreign experiences have given Nichols yet another tool to be able to cultivate professional surroundings in two different countries and reach out to others with various backgrounds.

Launching his new business, You Gotta Believe., has provided motivational presentations, basketball camps at several locations throughout Connecticut, and Family Fun Basketball Games, which has been implemented in school systems using basketball as a means of delivering inspirational messages in unique ways to benefit the entire community.

As a motivational speaker, Nichols uses his experiences to reach out to a wide range of audiences. Nichols has enjoyed giving interactive presentations within the Red Cross, Park and Recreation departments, scouts, basketball camps, church groups, Youth Services, DARE programs, schools, and many more. Individuals leave speaking presentations inspired, knowing they are special creations, motivated to make the right choices to develop, and challenged to look further within to find what truly is the meaning of their own lives.

Nichols graduated with honors from Western Connecticut State University in 1996, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and with a Masters degree in School Counseling. Nichols, now a school counselor at the high school level, uses his expertise by developing peer-mentoring programs and offering individual, group, and family counseling affecting one life at a time.