Senator Shaquan O’Neil Gives Back to the Cricket Academy that Helped to Build the Person He is Today

Before the Senate chamber, before the political platforms, and before the public profile, there was a cricket field — and a coach who saw something worth developing in a young Shaquan O’Neil. This week, the senator returned to say thank you in the most tangible way he could.

Senator Shaquan O’Neil has made a donation to A Chance to Shine Academy, the youth cricket programme he credits with helping to shape his development as a young athlete. Senator O’Neil said the contribution was a way of giving back to an organisation that played an important role in his early years, before he entered public service.

A Coach Who Made the Difference

The senator said many of the values he carries today were developed on the cricket field under the guidance of coach Abdiel Hughes, whom he described as instrumental in his early cricketing journey. According to Senator O’Neil, Hughes helped him progress through youth cricket and represent both the Leeward Islands Under-15 team and Antigua and Barbuda’s Under-15 and Under-17 national teams.

During a visit to the academy, Senator O’Neil presented the donation to Hughes and young players participating in the programme. He praised the coach for continuing to invest his time and knowledge in developing young cricketers and fostering leadership among the nation’s youth.

“Thank you, Coach, for the impact you continue to make,” Senator O’Neil said.

More Than Cricket

The gesture speaks to something that goes beyond sport. At a time when Antigua and Barbuda’s young people face mounting challenges — from economic pressures to the violent incidents that have dominated recent headlines — the role of coaches, mentors, and programmes like A Chance to Shine Academy in shaping the character of the next generation cannot be overstated.

The A Chance to Shine Academy provides cricket training and mentorship opportunities for young people in Antigua and Barbuda. In Senator O’Neil, the programme can point to a graduate who has carried its lessons from the crease to the corridors of national governance — and who has not forgotten where the journey began.