Jamaica's Academy Girls Basketball Travel Team to Make Historic Int'l Tournament Debut

The P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy team will compete at the MADE Hoops Girls Nationals in Pennsylvania, with their journey documented by acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Laurie Townshend. The team is being prepared by respected coaches Mike Kirlew and Kurt Stewart, with mentorship from Canadian Olympian and professional basketball player Shay Colley

Jamaica's P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy girls basketball travel team to make historic international tournament debut

This summer marks a historic moment in Jamaican sports: for the first time ever, a girls’ youth club basketball team from Jamaica will travel to the United States to compete on the international stage. Their powerful journey will be documented by acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Laurie Townshend.

Organized by P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy Jamaica and led by Global Director Wayne Dawkins, this trailblazing team will represent the island at the MADE Hoops Girls Nationals, one of North America’s premier youth basketball tournaments. The event will take place August 1–4, 2025, in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

To prepare for this monumental opportunity, the team will train in Jamaica under the expert guidance of Coaches Mike Kirlew and Kurt Stewart, with sessions held at the UWI Bowl in Kingston.

Adding excitement to the preparation is the involvement of Shay Colley, Canadian Olympian and professional basketball player, who will mentor and train with the girls in the final days before their departure. The first session with Colley was held on Sunday, July 27, with a second scheduled for Wednesday, July 30.

On Friday, August 1, the team will fly from Montego Bay to Baltimore, where they’ll be welcomed by Wayne Dawkins. That evening, they’ll hold their final tune-up practice at ACCE Public Charter School with Head Coach Kortnie Smith, the school’s Athletic Director and one of P.H.A.S.E. 1’s rising stars in youth basketball coaching.

They’ll compete over two days at the elite Spooky Nook Sports Complex, going head-to-head with top girls’ teams from across North America, before heading back to Jamaica on Monday, August 4—forever changed and fully empowered.

Historic trip opens doors to exposure, mentorship, and scholarships for Jamaican girls in sport

This inspiring journey is being documented by filmmaker Laurie Townshend, highlighting the challenges and breakthroughs of young female athletes in Jamaica as they redefine what's possible for girls in Caribbean sports.

This trip opens doors to scholarships, international exposure, mentorship, and a powerful new sense of belief for these young athletes. It also elevates the profile of girls’ basketball in Jamaica, paving the way for future support, infrastructure, and investment in the sport.