Ian Wason
Former national basketballer Adrian Joseph relishes the role that he plays as a father to his children. He is the proud father of two—Gabriel, 11, and Adriel, ten. The well-travelled player who displayed his skills as far as the Middle East before winning titles on local soil,
said it was a blessing to play the role of Daddy.
“Sacrificing is part of it (fatherhood),” Joseph said. “It’s part of fatherhood, it’s part of what you have to go through that’s mandatory. You know, there are financial commitments and other responsibilities that entail being a father, or a parent, I should say.”
Joseph, who won the National Basketball Championships with two different teams, Police in 2014 and Caledonia Clippers in 2019 (reigning champions), added that there is so much positivity in being a father.
“So I wouldn’t look at it as anything negative. And the opportunity is just there to be able to ... some people are not able to have kids. I end up being able to have kids and be able to see kids following the same path as I do, which is playing sports–basketball, and netball–you know, a smile for me, inside and out.”
In addition to the two national championships, Joseph’s resume also includes being the Hoop of Life champion with La Romain in 2013 and Super Ten champion with Petro Jazz in 2014.
The former NCAA basketball shooting guard shared some of the treasured memories he has with his children. “My son (Gabriel), he just sits down and watches basketball with me all the time,” a proud Joseph said. “Every time I watch basketball, especially the basketball series going on now (NBA finals), he watches these series.
He asks, ‘Daddy, will you choose what team you like?’ Every team I like, he will pick the opposite team, just to make sure he makes it competitive.” It does not stop there; Adriel, the younger of the siblings, has also taken a liking for sports. “And my daughter, she already said that she’s going to bypass whatever I accomplish as well.”
Joseph, who holds the record as seventh on the list with most three-pointers made with Virginia Tech, said, “Just being around them, seeing that they’re doing, the things that I am doing as well, being competitive, and I would say I don’t have one specific moment of joy with them. I would just say there are many moments, and there’s the opportunity, like I said, to spend time with them, watch them grow, watch them develop in the sport that I love, and seeing that they’re loving it too makes it more than just one moment, but many memories.”
Not only does Joseph spend quality time with his children, but he also oversees and nurtures an ‘extended family’ with scores of children as the founder of the Advance Genetics Basketball Academy. At this academy, several players have gained scholarships to pursue basketball careers.
Being a basketball player and mentor, Joseph uses the language he knows best to express how a man should persevere in his role as a father.
“And in terms of basketball, if I talk about basketball, being a basketball player, I just say, look at it as every day you come out and do something 15-20 minutes a day, three times a day, so days upon days upon weeks upon months upon years, and the opportunity represents itself, because they will find you based on your potential, and never give up. Never give up on what you’re trying to accomplish in life, and just continue believing in yourself and doing the best you can.”
Fathering tips
Joseph, who takes his responsibilities as a dad seriously, shared some advice with T&T men. “The first step is accepting or having to accept the possibility that you are going to be a father. And by being a father, I say, just be the best person that you could be,” Joseph remarked. “You know, we all know right from wrong. If you believe in God, be someone who prays. Pray daily. Pray to the Father, ask Him for, you know, his blessings, so that He can accordingly answer what you want to do in life and what you want to accomplish in life, young and old. And by doing that for yourself, you’re already setting an example for your younger ones.”
He added, “Like I say, kids look at their parents as gods because that’s all they know at that point in time, and they will follow your language, the way you speak, the way you walk, the way you talk, and everything you do. So when you set that example from a parenting point of view or a father’s point of view and you’re doing it the right way, you’re already doing what you need to do. So my advice is just to look for that guidance from the Almighty, do the things that you think are right in His eyes, continue doing it, and just provide those opportunities for your kids to be the best person they could possibly be.”
The former St Benedict’s College player, who is also an executive member of the South Zone Basketball Commission, shared some further advice with men and, by extension, parents. “Do it in the right way, do it as best as possible, never give up. Eagles do fly high in the sky, but they come down to drink water, so don’t look at anybody as being better than you. Everybody is only human, and just keep it up, the harder you fight, the better opportunities exist for you, and just continue doing your best on a daily basis.”