Athletic Scholarships Awarded to the Junior National Basketball Team
In the past, opportunities like these were not readily available, but today, thirty young athletes, along with their respective parents, signed off on a contract for an athletic scholarship to assist with their development. The Belize Basketball Federation, in partnership with the ministries of Education and Sports, made this opportunity a reality for members of the junior national basketball team. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
It was a historic day for the Belize Basketball Federation and the student athletes of the Junior National Team when they, along with their parents or guardians, signed off on a contract providing them with athletic scholarships.
Jacob Leslie
Jacob Leslie, President, Belize Basketball Federation
“We want these young men to be our national team players and to be a national team player requires a lot from them. So a lot of training, a lot of sacrifices, a lot of time. It’s hard for you to require that from them without giving them something back. So I had a plan that we have to reward these young men and how can we reward them better than building them academically. So I met with the Minister of Education who I asked for thirty scholarships for these young men and within two to three minutes he said yes. It was a great opportunity and it is the culmination today and I think these young men have a great future ahead of them because of the investment being made in them.”
It’s an opportunity that is being provided to thirty young athletes and a dream come true for many. Devin Moody and Jason Orosco attend Galen University and Maud Williams High School, respectively.
Devin Moody
Devin Moody, Scholarship Recipient
“This dah wah really great opportunity for me. As the big man dehn say, the opportunity neva happened for them so I just di take the opportunity and move forward with it.”
Duane Moody
“At this time, how have you been balancing being on the team as well as school?”
Devin Moody
“Time management. Going to Galen, I took a class and that’s what they repeatedly telling you – time management because as an athlete, you have to have time to workout and focus in class.”
Jason Orosco
Jason Orosco, Scholarship Recipient
“I just feel blessed at the moment fi achieve wah scholarship. Not everybody blessed like this to have a scholarship and living your dream. So I just want stay positive.”
Coach Darwin “Puppy” Leslie during today’s ceremony shared words of encouragement with the young ballers and their parents about the responsibilities that come along with this opportunity. He says that now, there is no room for excuses by any of the athletes.
Darwin “Puppy” Leslie
Darwin “Puppy” Leslie, Coach
“Economically, we are not often times in a good situation to support our athletes when it comes to education. In my time, that was not a reality. My parents did not have the money to send six of us to the tertiary level. So I just wanted to reiterate that to the athletes that what the government is doing in this time, especially after COVID, everyone is financially strained, that they are putting money into human beings and into our basketball athletes. So that was the main point I wanted to reiterate to the athletes that now they don’t have the excuse to say that coach I can’t go to school because my mom can’t pay the school fees or my dad can’t pay the school fees. Now that is not an excuse.”
Jacob Leslie
“The importance of the contracts are the accountability aspects. They have to maintain a two point eight GPA, they have to maintain a training regiment, they have to do community service, they have to conduct themselves properly as national team players. And failure to do any of them can lead them to lose this contract.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
