Executive Director of NewFlex Youth Programs, Inc., Coach Nesta
Felix, led a sports group delegation from New York, USA, which visited
Antigua under the auspices of sports administrator and coach Colin James
during the weekend of 12th to 14th January.
The members of the group, comprising several basketball and
volleyball players as well as coaches, interacted and conducted training
sessions with a number of sporting organizations such as the national
volleyball association, the Cyclones and the CPTSA Wings Sports clubs
and the Wadadli Elites basketball academy during their recent visit to
Antigua and Barbuda.
Felix is no stranger to Antigua & Barbuda, having visited the twin
island state about five years ago, running clinics throughout the country
and in particular with the CPTSA Wings Sports Club.
While in Antigua, Coach Felix and her group, which included coach
Imani Davidson, also met with several basketball and volleyball officials on
island, including President of the Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Volleyball
Association (ABVA) Wilbur Harrigan, ABAVA member Franklyn Benjamin
and CPTSA Wings’ volleyball coaches, Farida Carr and Rohan
Telemarque.
While in Antigua, Coach Felix, along with Coach Davidson and
players conducted several clinics and gave some encouraging pep talks to
the volleyball and basketball players.
The visitors also took the time out to engage in a basketball
scrimmage against Wadadli Elites. At the clinics, participants were on the
receiving end of gifts of shoes and sportswear for answering trivia
questions.
Meanwhile, the Wings Youth Basketball players were excited to learn
from coaches Felix and Davidson about the college system in the USA and
what they can work on to acquire scholarships.
The coaches spoke on many aspects of sports and the various
opportunities one can tap into besides just being a player.
The players learned that they can become anything they put their
hearts and minds to, but also hard work and perseverance are needed.
“You can become a media sports broadcaster, reporter, a sports
photographer, a coach, a referee, statistician, trainer, commentator; there
are so many areas in sports besides being a professional athlete,”
suggested Coach Davidson.
The NewFlex Youth Programs, Inc. was founded in 2009 by coach
Felix. Throughout her years of coaching basketball and being a coordinator
for many organizations, she became motivated to begin building leaders
among the youth in her community.
It was almost inevitable that Coach Felix would develop an
organization that would serve to direct youth to becoming better individuals
on and off the basketball court.
In 2009, as part of her MBA thesis, Felix, officially incorporated the
vision and NewFlex Youth Programs (at the time NewFlex Hoops, Inc.) was
born.
NewFlex Youth provides training in fundamentals of basketball and
other sports, mentoring programmes, workshops, trips and academic
management.
Its programmes are geared towards nurturing the beautiful nature
within young girls, and developing the masculine responsibility among
young men while preparing them all for various opportunities.
