Basketball Community Grieves Loss of Veteran Administrator
Paulton Gordon, President of the Jamaica Basketball Association, has expressed that the passing of veteran administrator Elfraito ‘Alf’ Remikie will leave a significant void in the country’s basketball program.
“It’s a major loss to the basketball community as he had a wealth of knowledge and will be certainly missed. Various sections of Jamaica’s basketball community relied on him to ensure we adhered to FIBA regulations and the technical requirements of the sport. His passing leaves a huge gap to be filled,” Gordon said.
Remikie, a former administrator, player, coach, and national coordinator, passed away yesterday morning at the Spanish Town Hospital, two days after being found unresponsive at his home. Gordon noted that Remikie was passionate about assisting local coaches in meeting new FIBA requirements following his recent training sessions in Miami, Florida. One of his major projects was the Star Search Basketball Camp, which provides local players with opportunities for overseas scholarships.
“He recently returned from Miami after completing a ‘train the trainer’ course. He was set to certify, and upscale local coaches based on International Basketball Federation (FIBA) requirements. The Star Search Basketball Camp, which has been running for the last 25 years, exposes our youngsters to scholarship opportunities and helps them transition from high school to the collegiate level. He was the centerpiece of that camp, and his absence will be deeply felt,” Gordon said.
Gordon also mentioned that Jamaica’s basketball community is going through a tough time, having recently lost another stalwart, Marland Nattie. He added that discussions will soon take place on how to build on and improve the work left behind by Mr. Remikie.
“He was integral to the development of local basketball alongside Marland Nattie. Losing two stalwarts within a year is challenging. In the coming days, we will be discussing with the Minister of Sport and the President of the Jamaica Olympic Association the best ways to honor Mr. Remikie’s legacy and advance the sport he loved,” Gordon said.
