THE STATION HILL CAVALIERS basketball team is more than a team to coach Adrian Craigwell.
He sees the members as his family, friends and by extension, his world. This is why he spends countless hours and energy coaching the males and females on the team – without pay.
This MONDAY MAN who is head coach of the 2010 championship team, based at the Station Hill Sports and Cultural Club, Station Hill, St Michael, told the DAILY NATION that there was more to him and his team than “just playing basketball and winning”.
He explained how and why he became so dedicated to the club which he described as “very rich in history”.
Craving
“Basketball is the craving of my life. I have been around basketball for most of the club’s existence which is a little over 28 years.
Actually, I started out as a player in the Third Division, moved on to Second Division and then I played with the First Division team. I absolutely love sports, so if I wasn’t going to become a basketball player I would have been a cricketer.
“I used to represent the St Leonard’s Boys’ School in cricket. I was not only into cricket, but also swimming . . . .But when I moved to Station Hill, I moved from cricket to basketball. I can still play cricket, but ever since I started playing basketball I turned a blind eye to my initial love,” the Savannah Road, Bush Hall, St Michael resident said.
Craigwell demonstrated spectacular vision on the basketball court and helped to lead the team to a number of championships for several years. But then in 1999 it was time for this father of one to answer his “calling” by becoming coach of the team.
“I took over the responsibility to coach the team in 1999. After playing basketball for a long time I became the captain of the Cavaliers and William Harper, who was the team’s head coach at the time, became the coach for the national basketball team. Being the head coach meant that Harper had to focus on the national team, but somebody still had to coach and control things with the Cavaliers. And I began to answer my calling to become the coach, right there and then,” he said.
Love people
Craigwell added: “The game offers me the opportunity to fit into my natural environment which is not only on the court but also in the community. I love being around young people so that I can encourage them to do good things and head in the right direction,” he said.
Craigwell noted that being the coach of the team helped him to socialise and touch the lives of some of the people in the community. He emphasised that basketball was the No. 1 sport in Station Hill because the court itself had been the centre of attention in the area since it was placed there over 28 years ago.
He explained that the Station Hill court and what its presence entailed had helped to change a lot of lives in the area and for that he was very grateful.
Deviant direction
“When I first came to the club a number of the boys in the area who were heading in a deviant direction, changed their lives because of that basketball court. I am proud to say that that court helped to save a lot of males and females in the area from seeing what the inside of jail looks like.
“I believe that education is important and I encourage my players to take their education seriously, especially the young ones. I have implemented homework, reading and tutoring sessions for the players. The senior players who are at university have to help those who are preparing to sit their CXCs. And the team members preparing to write CXCs will help those in primary school who are preparing to sit Common Entrance,” Craigwell stressed.
The messenger/driver of Parliament, who is highly regarded by the people in his community, showered immense praise on his Station Hill Cavaliers outfit.
“The team recently won its sixth league championship in the men’s division, while the women won their tenth league championship. Right now the club has the most league victories in Barbados when the men and women are combined. I think that success and hard work have helped to bring us a lot of championships and I am proud to be a part of it.