The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NOBLE Preparatory Academy continues its mission of facilitating student athletes to paths of higher education in Canada.

Stephone Augustine and Pilar Smith were the latest additions to sign their letters of intent to join the Niagara College Knights men's and women's basketball programmes respectively.

Alongside NPA Director Geno Bullard, the duo signed their paperwork at the NPA campus and are looking forward to the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level with the Knights this fall.

Augustine, a former student at RM Bailey, decided to take the prep school route following his participation in the inaugural NPA Spring Classic. He was captivated by the opportunity to use the game to further his education.

"We made the championship, during the tournament we had a meeting with coach Bullard and he talked about life, our grades and our future and that really made an impact on me. When I made the transition to NPA, it was a bit of a struggle going from a bigger environment to a smaller environment where you have a greater focus on you.

"At other places once you play on the basketball team you can talk in class, miss class, pretty much do anything you want, but at NPA it was a struggle for me to adjust because you're held accountable for your actions here.

"Coach Bullard stuck with me through that," he said. "I travelled with the team to Canada and then went to see the NPA alumni play at Niagara. It was mind-blowing. I made up my mind right there and then and I told coach Bullard that would be me in a few years. I went from a 2.15 GPA, to a 3.49 and eventually graduated with a 3.7. Augustine had the opportunity to attend Niagara at the conclusion of the last academic year, but complications due to paperwork and acquiring a passport prevented him from beginning his collegiate career.

Augustine completed his college prep year at NPA and, despite the setback, is now prepared for the life of a college student.

"It really got me ready for college. I'm much stronger than the programmes I'm interested in and it just made me appreciate the things you work hard to achieve. This is something I've always wanted, it's here so now I have to make the most of it," he said.

"I have the right support system here and in Canada with the other NPA alumni. When I wasn't able to go they really took me under their wing making sure I stayed on the right path. Having them at my side will be very beneficial to me. Even when I didn't know them I looked up to them because I wanted to be on the wall at NPA campus with all the other success stories. I always knew of these guys and knew their stories. I always wanted to be a part of that success and be recognised for something positive."

He will be the first member of his family to attend college, a responsibility that weighs heavily on the mind of the incoming freshman. "I have a younger sibling and a niece. They look up to me, they saw the challenges when I was getting in fights so to know that I was going off to school it may motivate her more," he said. "Not just my family but guys in the Englerston constituency who grew up there with me. Seeing m try my best and having the younger guys look up to me I know it's important. They know I was once in the spot where they are so they know it's possible to make it through."

Smith was a former student at Mt Carmel before her transition to NPA for a year of prep school. Her basketball journey included battles with health complications and a difficult decision on whether to return to school.

"When I started playing in the eighth grade, I used to have health issues and they told me early on that I would never be able to play and I eventually joined the team. I picked up quicker than most of my peers and I had a passion for it so I stuck with it. I started to take it seriously in 11th grade because everyone was telling me how much potential I had. I started practicing more and devoted myself to becoming a student of the game," she said.

"I graduated and I realised that I wasn't ready to leave high school yet. I had some academic issues and I realised another year could benefit me. I had a summer job at the MYSC at their basketball camp and I worked with a few of Mr Bullard's students. I saw how good they were at basketball so I really wanted to know what school they attended. They gave me the info, I did my homework on the school and I found that it would be the right fit for me moving forward."

She encouraged others to consider a year of college prep before making the transition to tertiary education.

"Everyone told me to get a job and start working. I knew my parents weren't in a position to really put me through another year, but I still had that internal conflict because I knew I wasn't ready academically for college and I felt I needed more time to develop," she said. "I wasn't always a focused student and when I came to NPA it tested my limits. I was in an environment where teachers were so invested in wanting to see you do well and I realised it took focus, time management, and dedication to be a really good student."

Smith will be the first member of the NPA girls' basketball programme to earn a scholarship opportunity. "I feel like I have a lot of pressure on my shoulder because the first is always remembered," she said. "I feel like the weight on me is exceptional to open up the door for other girls to walk through and really create a change to start this new era for Noble and girls basketball."

In addition to being the founder and the president of the NPA, Bullard is also the international recruiter for the entire Caribbean region for Niagara College. NPA has academic ties with Ridley, Niagara and Brock University.

"As students at NPA you don't know what the future holds so you have to be ready, you have to trust the process in guiding you. It's not just about being great at sports, which these guys will be because they are prepared, but it's about being great in all areas of what it takes to be a student athlete at the collegiate level.

"It's knowing time management and how to handle the workload. This is what universities want, students they can invest in that they know will produce great returns," he said. "Having a full scope of being on the ground and being a part of those institutions, I fully understand what is demanded by a prep school, a college or a university and I am able to impart that knowledge to these kids and their parents. It is all about creating a total package - a student that is confident in their education, confident in their athletic ability and to be able to present themselves in a professional manner. It's about accepting coaching, guidance, taking criticism and moving forward. We focus on the mentorship and the student portion of a student athlete. It's an honour to have them represent us."