P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy U15 & U18 Return to International Travel Basketball

P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy Jamaica
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From Recovery to Resilience: Jamaica’s Future Heads to Florida

The P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy Jamaica U15 and U18 teams are officially returning to international travel basketball as they prepare to compete at the Havoc Heartwood Classic in Miramar, Florida (February 21–23, 2026).

This trip represents far more than another tournament.

Following Hurricane Melissa, P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy’s travel basketball program was temporarily sidelined as families and communities focused on rebuilding personal lives and restoring training facilities. The priority was clear stabilize, recover, and create a safe environment for development to continue.

Now, the boys are back.

And they are motivated.

With the recent surge of excitement surrounding Jamaica’s Men’s National Team success, these young athletes are eager to show the world that the future of Jamaican basketball is alive and training hard at home.

They are not waiting for opportunity.

They are working for it.

They are raising funds.

They are putting in the hours.

They are preparing to represent Jamaica on a global stage.

A Full Circle Coaching Moment

This weekend also marks a historic milestone for the Academy.

Two P.H.A.S.E. 1 alumni Romareo Millis and Micah-Imani Swaine will make their international travel coaching debut.

Romareo Millis - will serve as Head Coach of the U15 boys.
Micah-Imani Swaine - will serve as Head Coach of the U18 boys.

Both will lead under the guidance of Academy Director Wayne Dawkins.

These young men once traveled as players in the same program. Now, they return as leaders - a full circle moment that embodies the Academy’s long-term vision.

“This is exactly what development is supposed to look like,” said Wayne Dawkins, Global Director of P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy Jamaica.

“We don’t just want players to leave. We want them to grow, return, and lead. Romareo and Micah represent the future of Jamaican basketball leadership.”

Coach Romareo shared his excitement:

“To go from being a player in this program to leading the U15 team internationally is special. I understand the responsibility. I’ve lived this journey.”

Coach Micah-Imani added:

“These players deserve opportunity. I know what it feels like to travel and compete for Jamaica. Now it’s my job to prepare them the right way.”

The Youth Are Ready

The players themselves feel the moment.

“There’s a lot of talk about Jamaica’s national team right now,” said one U18 player.

“But we want people to see that the youth are coming.”

Another U15 athlete shared:

“We trained through everything. We’re ready to show what Jamaica basketball looks like.”

This generation understands that representing Jamaica means more than wearing a jersey. It means discipline, sacrifice, and belief.

Continuing the Mission

For Wayne Dawkins, the return to travel competition is another step in a much bigger mission.

“Our focus has always been grassroots development. We are determined to see more local youth competing for Jamaica on the global stage not just as players, but as leaders.”

The recent global rise of Jamaican basketball presents a powerful opportunity. But growth at the top must be supported by investment at the foundation.

As Jamaican basketball reaches new international heights, there is a growing need to strengthen local infrastructure facilities, funding, and structured development pathways to remove the barriers that make grassroots growth challenging.

If the world celebrates Jamaican basketball, it must also support its roots.