Former Calvary player gets to visit Cuba
CHRISTIAN ADAMS
Former Calvary player gets to visit Cuba Jay Spivey/Winston-Salem Journal Winston-Salem Journal
Former Calvary Baptist basketball star Christian Adams said he’s getting ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime.
Adams, a 6-3, 190-pound freshman basketball player at Coastal Carolina, is preparing to leave for a trip that few, if any, college basketball players have taken. The Chanticleers under Coach Cliff Ellis are leaving for Cuba on Aug. 6 to play three games against the Cuban National Team.
The United States had almost no relationship with Cuba for over 50 years, but President Obama of the United States and President Raul Castro of Cuba announced in December that the two countries were taking steps toward normalizing a relationship.
Up until now, it’s been a country that’s been closed off and unknown to most Americans. However, Sport Tours International arranged the trip in the spring and it was finalized in late June.
According to Coastal Carolina’s website GoCCUSports.com, Sport Tours International president Lee Frederick said it’s the first college sporting venture of any kind.
"Coastal Carolina's three games against the Cuban National Team in Havana will be the first time a Division I team has ever played in Cuba," Frederick said on the website. "That the administration and basketball program accepted the invitation from the Cuban Federation is a testament to the program's increasing prestige on the national stage. It will be the trip of a lifetime for the student-athletes, and the seven days they spend on the island will change them forever."
Ellis said that Sport Tours International approached him and Coastal Carolina, the two-time defending Big South champion, during this year’s NCAA Tournament about going to Cuba.
“They liked our demeanor and felt that we’d be a good team to travel over and go into Cuba,” Ellis said by phone. “There’s not been a team that’s been in Cuba since (Fidel) Castro took over. So we’re the first team to be able to go, so that’s how it came about. “Of course we jumped on the opportunity. We’re really excited about it.”
The Chanticleers will leave on Aug. 6, play games against Cuba, which is the 58th-ranked team by FIBA (basketball’s governing body) in Havana on Aug. 9, 10 and 11, and return to Conway, S.C., on Aug. 14. All the games will be at 4 p.m. EDT. The team’s website and the team’s Twitter handle @GoCCUSports will provide updates.
Adams, who has been in summer school at Coastal Carolina since June, said he’s been preparing for the season. The team gets 10 practices before heading to Cuba.
“I’m really excited about the trip. It’s a place where I’ve never been before and not many people in American have gotten the opportunity to,” Adams said by phone. “But also to work with the community there and to help kids with basketball and to play against their national team.”
His father, Trent, won’t be able to make the trip because there’s still travel stipulations. However, he said he will follow the team the best he can.
“Going to Cuba is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Trent Adams said by phone.
Christian Adams said his dad said to just soak up the moment.
“My dad told me just to really enjoy the moment and experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Christian Adams said. “Just don’t rush it and enjoy every moment of it.”
Trent Adams said he’s had a chance to speak to the coaches at Coastal Carolina. Adams is one of three freshmen to join the team that has four returning starters – guards Shivaughn Wiggins and Elijah Wilson and forwards Badou Diagne and Tristan Curtis.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to go play and see what team they have this year compared to last year,” Trent Adams said. “And it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing or whatever. They’re proud; they’re excited.”
Joe Rybak, Christian Adams’ coach at Calvary Baptist, wants him to get better with the higher level of competition and he wants him to see the world.
“I’d like to see him build relationships that he’ll be able to have the rest of his life,” Rybak said by phone. “This will be a little different setting outside of a school setting, for him to do that with his teammates and his coaches while he’s over there.”
Rybak said it will be a tremendous cultural experience for Christian Adams. Rybak said Adams averaged 19.8 points per game last season at Calvary.
“I don’t think Christian’s really experienced anything like that before, so this is a lot of new for him,” Rybak said.
Ellis said that Secretary of State John Kerry will be there then, and the American flag will be raised.
“We’re going over there to play basketball. That’s a great thing. We’re going to play the Cuban National Team,” Ellis said. “We’re also going over there as ambassadors because the countries have really not had a relationship in the last 50-plus years. It’s a great opportunity.”
As for Christian Adams, he’s just getting his feet settled as a freshman with a good Chanticleers team. He sees the cultural aspects of the trip as important, but he’s looking forward to eating a Cubano sandwich, which has bread, ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.
“The ones in America are really good, but my dad said wait until you try one in Cuba,” Christian Adams said. “They supposedly taste a lot better than the ones here.”
CHRISTIAN ADAMS
Former Calvary player gets to visit Cuba Jay Spivey/Winston-Salem Journal Winston-Salem Journal
Former Calvary Baptist basketball star Christian Adams said he’s getting ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime.
Adams, a 6-3, 190-pound freshman basketball player at Coastal Carolina, is preparing to leave for a trip that few, if any, college basketball players have taken. The Chanticleers under Coach Cliff Ellis are leaving for Cuba on Aug. 6 to play three games against the Cuban National Team.
The United States had almost no relationship with Cuba for over 50 years, but President Obama of the United States and President Raul Castro of Cuba announced in December that the two countries were taking steps toward normalizing a relationship.
Up until now, it’s been a country that’s been closed off and unknown to most Americans. However, Sport Tours International arranged the trip in the spring and it was finalized in late June.
According to Coastal Carolina’s website GoCCUSports.com, Sport Tours International president Lee Frederick said it’s the first college sporting venture of any kind.
"Coastal Carolina's three games against the Cuban National Team in Havana will be the first time a Division I team has ever played in Cuba," Frederick said on the website. "That the administration and basketball program accepted the invitation from the Cuban Federation is a testament to the program's increasing prestige on the national stage. It will be the trip of a lifetime for the student-athletes, and the seven days they spend on the island will change them forever."
Ellis said that Sport Tours International approached him and Coastal Carolina, the two-time defending Big South champion, during this year’s NCAA Tournament about going to Cuba.
“They liked our demeanor and felt that we’d be a good team to travel over and go into Cuba,” Ellis said by phone. “There’s not been a team that’s been in Cuba since (Fidel) Castro took over. So we’re the first team to be able to go, so that’s how it came about. “Of course we jumped on the opportunity. We’re really excited about it.”
The Chanticleers will leave on Aug. 6, play games against Cuba, which is the 58th-ranked team by FIBA (basketball’s governing body) in Havana on Aug. 9, 10 and 11, and return to Conway, S.C., on Aug. 14. All the games will be at 4 p.m. EDT. The team’s website and the team’s Twitter handle @GoCCUSports will provide updates.
Adams, who has been in summer school at Coastal Carolina since June, said he’s been preparing for the season. The team gets 10 practices before heading to Cuba.
“I’m really excited about the trip. It’s a place where I’ve never been before and not many people in American have gotten the opportunity to,” Adams said by phone. “But also to work with the community there and to help kids with basketball and to play against their national team.”
His father, Trent, won’t be able to make the trip because there’s still travel stipulations. However, he said he will follow the team the best he can.
“Going to Cuba is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Trent Adams said by phone.
Christian Adams said his dad said to just soak up the moment.
“My dad told me just to really enjoy the moment and experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Christian Adams said. “Just don’t rush it and enjoy every moment of it.”
Trent Adams said he’s had a chance to speak to the coaches at Coastal Carolina. Adams is one of three freshmen to join the team that has four returning starters – guards Shivaughn Wiggins and Elijah Wilson and forwards Badou Diagne and Tristan Curtis.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to go play and see what team they have this year compared to last year,” Trent Adams said. “And it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing or whatever. They’re proud; they’re excited.”
Joe Rybak, Christian Adams’ coach at Calvary Baptist, wants him to get better with the higher level of competition and he wants him to see the world.
“I’d like to see him build relationships that he’ll be able to have the rest of his life,” Rybak said by phone. “This will be a little different setting outside of a school setting, for him to do that with his teammates and his coaches while he’s over there.”
Rybak said it will be a tremendous cultural experience for Christian Adams. Rybak said Adams averaged 19.8 points per game last season at Calvary.
“I don’t think Christian’s really experienced anything like that before, so this is a lot of new for him,” Rybak said.
Ellis said that Secretary of State John Kerry will be there then, and the American flag will be raised.
“We’re going over there to play basketball. That’s a great thing. We’re going to play the Cuban National Team,” Ellis said. “We’re also going over there as ambassadors because the countries have really not had a relationship in the last 50-plus years. It’s a great opportunity.”
As for Christian Adams, he’s just getting his feet settled as a freshman with a good Chanticleers team. He sees the cultural aspects of the trip as important, but he’s looking forward to eating a Cubano sandwich, which has bread, ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.
“The ones in America are really good, but my dad said wait until you try one in Cuba,” Christian Adams said. “They supposedly taste a lot better than the ones here.”
