Track and field prodigy, Adaejah Hodge is among the VI athletes selected for the one-week, ‘Youth Core Sports Camp’ at IMG Academy in Florida, USA. Photo: BVITB

Fourteen-year-old George, Jr. has been involved in tennis since he was six-years-old, and also coaches other young residents in the sport. Photo: BVITB

Representing the VI at COTECC Junior International Under 14 Tournament held in Barbados in April 2017. Photo: BVITB

According to a press release issued by the British Virgin Island Tourist Board’s (BVITB) on July 27, 2018, the athletes—‘B-baller’, Stephan A. W. Deleon, baseball player, Nashawnta Smith, track and field, Adaejah Hodge, and tennis player Angel George, Jr—are bound for Bradenton, Florida next month.

The quartet, are the latest recipients of scholarships, to attend the prestigious IMG Sports Academy in Florida, USA from August 12, 2018 for a one-week, ‘Youth Core Sports Camp’ in their respective athletic disciplines.

Tourist Board

The scholarships are a result of the BVITB partnership with the Miami Open, “as the Caribbean Destination sponsor of the popular tennis tournament this year.”

Director of Tourism Mrs Sharon F. Brutus voiced her immense satisfaction with the development, saying “the BVI Tourist Board is proud of our four aspiring athletes and we are pleased to be able to afford them the opportunity to upgrade their skills and gain valuable exposure at a top-flight athletic academy.”

According to the Tourist Board Director, “this is in keeping with our thrust toward the development of our youth and we see it as planting a seed for the development of Sports Tourism…we congratulate the young athletes and their parents for being successful in obtaining the scholarships.”

Awardees

Scholarship awardee Deleon, is a Grade 9 student at the Chase Academy Foundation in Georgetown Guyana, where he relocated due to the hurricanes in 2017.

“Playing the position of guard, Stephan is described as an outstanding shooter and tenacious defender, who is highly focused…The fourteen year-old has been a perennial standout in BVI basketball camps since the age of four and is an All-Star player for the Under 16 Secondary School League at his current school…He intends to win a basketball scholarship to attend university and eventually make it to the NBA,” the press release revealed.

 Meanwhile, 12-year old, track and field star Hodge has already “gained a reputation for versatility, and ability from her early beginnings as an Althea Scatliffe Primary School Strider, competing in the Inter Primary School Championships and BVI Athletics Association track meets.”

Wildcat Invitational

It was explained that she relocated from the VI to Atlanta Georgia in 2015, where she began competing in athletic events.

The release said “she can compete at a high level in a number of events…Miss Hodge who competes in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, Long Jump, High Jump and Triple Jump representing Mason Creek Middle School in Douglasville, Georgia, was her school’s female MVP and the top female competitor in the 2018 Mustang Track Meet and the 2018 Wildcat Invitational.”

According to young Adaejah, “the 400 is now my favourite event because it gives me more time to strategize and I can show my coaches how strong I’m becoming.”

Sports Ambassadors

Fourteen-year-old George, Jr. has been involved in tennis since he was six-years-old, and also coaches other young residents in the sport.

He has represented the Territory in many regional tournaments including COTECC Junior International Under 14 Tournament held in Barbados in April 2017, the release shared, adding that the tennis enthusiast considers himself an ambassador for Sports Tourism.

His aims, to start a Tennis School in the Islands and promote the VI, “as a place for tennis players to visit.”

The baseball player among the group—17- year-old Smith—has been described by his coach, “as a super athlete who would make an impact on the sport with the proper training.”  

Excited about the opportunity of attending IMG Academy Summer Camp, the youngman “is very passionate about the sport, having played since he was about 7 years old…He sees this as an opportunity to improve his skills and gain more exposure from travel and high-level training.”

 “I have the ambition to be one of the next ambassadors to promote the tourism,” he stated.