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 On Court Grassroots Advisor John Spezia is helping put players in front of college coaches
When it comes to helping up-and-coming basketball players, you can always count on John Spezia. The On Court Player Development® Grassroots Advisor and president of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) keeps opening the doors for players from Basseterre, St. Kitts. Spezia helped nine players, chosen from various area basketball teams, and three officials take a one-week tour of colleges in Florida. The team played games against Nova Southeastern University, Florida Tech, Flagler College and Rollins College.
The tour is a direct result of the annual “Reach One, Teach One Basketball” program, held in conjunction with the island’s Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Culture at Warner Park, the Bird Rock Sports Club and other partners.
Spezia has attended the camp for three of the past four years, using his NJCAA contacts to help facilitate opportunities for local players. Each university’s coaching staff scouted the players. St. Kitts players such as Dane Rawlins, Nashorn Maynard, Shamile Jeffers and Erasmus Williams, Jr., have already received scholarships.
“The tour (Reach One, Teach One Basketball program) would not be possible without the support of the government of St. Kitts,” Spezia says. “And we really have to give a big thanks to Coach Billy Mims at Florida Tech, who contacted the other Florida colleges, Wendell Pemberton, who kept everything organized for the trip and players, and Dave Connor, director of sports for the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Culture Warner Park, at St. Kitts.”
But most of all, Spezia applauds the players. “They played extremely hard for me under a difficult situation, as we had little practice time together. They were very competitive in every game.”
The Ministry also plans to build an indoor basketball stadium, which would help entice U.S.-based teams to visit. Spezia has already facilitated team travel to Antigua and said it is his “dream” to see this happen in St. Kitts. |
