Team Hurricane Academy, a basketball jewel in Bermuda

HAMILTON (Bermuda) – Six years ago the first elite youth basketball academy was established in Bermuda. Team Hurricane Basketball Academy hosts some of the best youth talents in the country and provides – free of charge – a platform where they can train so that they can develop and reach their highest potential both academically and athletically.

Among the services offered by the program are specialized basketball training, mentorship, academic tutoring and assistance with the college recruiting process. The group meets every Saturday of the year at the Warwick Academy and it's open to everyone that can be a part of its two divisions: the youth category for boys and girls ages 7 to 13; and the preparatory category for youth ages 14 to 21.

The project is led by coach Doug Reed, who graduated from Syracuse University and headed the U19 Bermuda national team. “We're an inclusive and free program that offers throughout the year an open enrollment. Like this we allow the Bermuda youth to join the team at any time in the year and enjoy our diverse program offering,” said Reed recently.

According to the Academy’s staff, this year they're focused on drawing attention and increasing the participation of girls in the program in order to strengthen this area of the initiative. In fact, this past summer Team Hurricane was able to send several of their participants to training camps at the University of South Carolina and Syracuse University in the United States. The program currently has six full time student-athletes in high schools and academies in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Each spring the Academy also hosts invitational camps in Bermuda with foreign resources, such as the Alexander Basketball Academy, to seek scholarship opportunities in schools and universities for local athletes. Among the attendees was Wagner University coach Donnie Arey, who declared her intention of challenging local athletes to elevate their level while they have fun.

Team Hurricane Program also has a mental preparation division led by a licensed psychologist and other education professionals. The Student First Education Program assists participants in their educational processes with tutoring sessions and monitors them during the school year. It also offers a guide to achieving their long-term goals both in and out of the court.

FIBA