It's a scouting event that got former athlete turned politician Devin Daly into an American College to play basketball. And now - as Minister of State for sports - Daly has brought those scouts back to Belize in hopes of finding another diamond in the rough. Jomarie Lanza was at the Civic Centre today and she spoke with the head coach of Lake Superior State University who's looking for the next Devin:
It's a major opportunity that can determine the future for all these young athletes who gathered here today at the Belize Civic Centre. Lake Superior State University hasn't been scouting in Belize since 2011, when they first discovered and recruited Devin Daly who played college ball with them for 4 years. And Now they've dipped their fingers back into Belize's bucket of basketball athletes in hopes of finding talent worthy of the chance to play college ball for free.
Steve Hettinga, Head Basketball Coach, Lake Superior State University:
"Certainly looking for some talent going to put them through some drills, skill development stuff and I certainly want to evaluate looking for potential kids to come to Lake Superior State."
"My expectations are certainly with Devin. I keep going back to him but his development over four years when I saw him. He was so raw, we like to say that term in basketball, very raw but talented and that's kind of what I expect to see. We have been watching them warming up, some of their form and some how they play I can tell that they have abilities but maybe they just have not had the fundamentals and all the teaching that goes with it so I'm looking for somebody like that, someone who works hard is raw and has an open attitude to get better obviously a good student and someone that really wants to learn and get better."
And it's opportunities such as these that helped to shape a future like Devin Daly's, and so he did what he could to facilitate the same for other youths:
Devin Daly, Minister of State for Youth and Sports:
"I kept wondering why is it that we don't have programs where we have coaches coming to Belize to recruit our student athletes and so it really came from then and now that I am in a position to make certain things a reality this was my first move."
"It's surreal, you get jitters because I lived it, you get nervous because I lived it and of course you want to try and show your best but you don't know how you will mess up but that's why when we started I talked to them and told them hey this is not about if you can catch ten free throws in a row or ten threes like Steph Curry or Devin Daly, used to be. This is about showing the tangibles, having leadership qualities, being a good team mate and showing hustle and showing that willingness to be coachable that is very important that is what this moment here is really about."
And to cast as wide a net as possible, the requirements for this scouting camp are few:
"So the only qualification they need to have is to complete high school, you have students athletes going to college now playing college basketball at 30 years old, there is not necessarily a limit as far as I know on that but their willingness to participate, their willingness to play and if the coach likes them, this thing can be turned around within a week that was my reality. We went to Cleveland Ohio back in 2012, I would say probably we got back to Belize on a Monday after being on a 7 day trip or so and I believe it was the following Wednesday I was approached, I was called and then they flew down to Belize and then after that Devin Daly went to the States so this can be a very quick reality however the win is not necessarily getting a scholarship for the athletes here, that is a bonus and it is definitely a win but for me the win is bringing the necessary exposure to our athletes."
And those athletes like Breah Clarke and Jason Orozco hope to make the most of this grand opportunity, particularly Breah Clarke who already has some experience playing in the US
Briah Clarke, Athlete:
"Personally for me it will be like for me to get better because right now I am at division 3 and this is a division 2 school so for me personally I want to play overseas because division 2 means more eyes so more courts overseas will see me."
"I am already playing Warren Wilson college that is a division 3 college, That is in the US? Yes. Now any difference between playing in Belize and playing in the US the style of basketball how different is it? It is more different like basically it is in a system and you have to get adjusted to it."
Jason Orozco, Athlete:
"I played in a season last year for my high school Maude Williams."
"I am a great young kid playing basketball in Belize, I mean it is a great opportunity not just for me but for everyone here you know basketball in Belize is at a lower level I mean it's a great shout out to honourable Devin Daly for this opportunity not for me but for each and everyone of us."