For Brandon Okpalobi, a former University of Miami basketball player and founder of DIBIA Athletic Development, creating an international, Miami-based sports training company wasn’t always the priority. In the beginning, his priority was information technology.
“I wanted to be an I.T. consultant,” Okpalobi said.
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Children were all smiles during their dental screenings Saturday, and it may have been thanks to a basketball hall-of-famer and former Miami Heat star.
Alonzo Mourning hosted a free family health and wellness day during Zo’s Winter Groove at Miramar Regional Park, where children and adults got free health screenings in mobile units resembling a doctor’s or dentist’s office.
Competing.
It was easy to spot the 6-foot-10 basketball star surrounded by attendees lining up for photos with him. The music, bounce houses, food trucks and other entertainment may have been part of the fun, but the focus was on being healthy.
“Health and wellness is the key,” Mourning said. “Trying to get people healthy, active, eating right, seeing their health care provider and everything — things of that nature — all of that stuff is extremely important.
“That’s what today’s all about,” he said.
The day began with about 400 participants during a 5K run/walk, Mourning said, and continued with health and wellness vendors at the “Memorial Hospital Miramar Health Village” and a “Kidz Stay-Fit Playground.”
Liz and Ernie Hernandez, of Pembroke Pines, took their grandchildren, 6-year-old Adrea and 4-year-old Julian, to encourage them to try sports, break away from TV and mobile devices and simply enjoy being outside. The event was spread over a large swath of the park, hugging a lake.
“They get happy outdoors,” Liz Hernandez said.
It also didn’t hurt that she was a Miami Heat fan and the event was being hosted by Mourning, she said.
Pediatric nurse practitioner Joanne Christopher-Hines was in one of the mobile units holding vision screenings, checking children’s body mass indexes and, in some cases, drawing blood with a finger stick to check for anemia.
“It’s a doctor’s office on wheels,” Christopher-Hines said.
On Saturday, she checked a 4-year-old girl who was obese and who she thought was at high risk of facing diabetes. It was a wake-up call for the girl’s mother, the nurse said. The family should collectively change its eating habits.
“Eating healthy will benefit the rest of the family,” too, Christopher-Hines said.
At the mobile Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures dental office, 3-year-old Mila serenely sat on her mom’s lap while her teeth were checked. It was her first time having a dental checkup and the girl’s calmness was a welcomed reaction, said her mother, Marisa Salazar.
“We were really surprised,” Salazar, of Miami Lakes, said. “It’s kind of like a nice introduction to the dentist.”
The neat, sugar-free treat that likely helped before the checkup: princess-themed face-painting for Mila.
SOURCE
By Erika Pesantes
Sun Sentinel
Catch up with DIBIA Alumni Sam, Kham & Nick as they prepare for their college season!
By: Akilah Laster
The commencement of the basketball season is the culmination of seven months of dedication to training, development, and focus. After all of the invested hours and effort, in November the curtains are drawn and the real show begins. The moment where preparation meets opportunity has arrived. For players it is a time of eagerness and reflection.
For the DIBIA Athletic Development team, it is also a time to catch up with past and current players. It is a chance to remind all of the members that they have earned their place. Whether it be as a junior varsity starter or the sixth man on a professional team, each individual’s position was garnered through months of extensive work.
For one DIBIA alumnus, this season is a chance to make a name for himself at the collegiate level. In high school “Sam Singer” was synonymous with star; after a rollercoaster freshman year, Singer enters his sophomore season as guard for University of California-Berkeley (Cal) determined to build a similar legacy.
“It has been up and down which has been a great learning experience,” said Singer who averaged 9.4 minutes per game his freshman year. “I came in from high school having played every minute of every game and coming to college taught me that I have to compete every day and stay ready.”
Singer credits DIBIA for elevating and preparing him for the collegiate level.
“Every drill we’ve worked on with DIBIA translates into the game and has been relevant in college,” Singer said. “The life lessons are most beneficial because you’re not in high school anymore and you realize everyone here was the best player on their team. So it all depends on you.”
Fellow DIBIA alumnus, Khambrel Roach, shares similar sentiments after finishing his freshman season at Trinity University in San Antonio.
“In college, everyone on every team was ‘the man’ in high school and now we’re all on one even playing field competing to see who exactly the best is,” said Roach, a former teammate of Singer and Stern at Ransom.
While Roach did not see much playing time as a freshman, playing on a senior-laden team, he impressed his coaches with his versatility and confidence. He accredits that to his time with DIBIA.
“The skills acquired by working with DIBIA are a big part of why I feel confident every time I step on the court and probably why my coaches feel I’m one of the more versatile players we have,” Roach said. “I know I’m not in Miami to train with DIBIA while in college, but I do remember how we trained and every day I make sure I touch up on my game by going through the drills we worked on and paying close attention to detail.”
Roach has an opportunity to become an integral part of his team and looks forward to the challenge.
“The feedback from my coaches was that they believe I have potential to be an all-conference guard,” Roach said.
“I feel comfortable on the court and I’m not overthinking things, and because of the time spent working with DIBIA I never have to worry on the court.”
Recent Ransom graduate and DIBIA alum, Nick Stern is preparing to begin his freshman season as a guard for the Franklin and Marshall College Diplomats in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Stern, a former captain for Ransom, says that working with DIBIA made his transition easier.“Drills that DIBIA teaches are all drills that my coach teaches us,” said Stern, who has spent his time adjusting to not being a vocal leader. “Instead of having to explain things to my teammates, I am now the one listening.”
And though Stern has had to surrender some of his vocal leadership he says he is growing.
“I had to realize my place on the team,” Stern said, “but everyone pushes each other and helps each other get better which is definitely something I like.”
But getting to a more centered and balanced place is not an overnight win according to both Singer and Roach.
“College sports are feasible for those who are willing to put in the work and effort to get to that level,” Roach said. “Overall health and fitness is key. Staying in the weight room is key even throughout the season.”
For Singer, adjusting to playing time allotment was an important battle to overcome in order to be successful.
“Playing time can sometimes be unpredictable and you just have to stay ready knowing everything will work out,” Singer said. “Freshmen year is full of ups and downs and you have to keep your head down and work.”
Stern has also found ground as his first collegiate season begins.
“It is never easy,” Stern said. “You must never stop working as hard as you can and you can never give up on anything.”
2014 Distinguished Gentlemen Honors South Florida’s Emerging African-American Male Business & Community Leaders While Brining Awareness to Local Boys and Men of Color Initiatives
Miami, FL, September 3, 2014 – The K.Jules Project, a social impact initiative launched by South Florida’s native and emerging community leader Kerline Jules, was pleased to present the 2014 Distinguished Gentlemen: Honoring the Gentlemen Making An Impact Award. Distinguished Gentlemen, celebrates South Florida’s emerging African-American male business and community leaders with debonair & honor while also brining awareness to local boys and men of color initiatives.
“With the constant negative images of our black men, it was important to me as a servant leader passionate about the empowerment of my community to do my part in elevating and celebrating the images of our black men here in South Florida. Distinguished Gentlemen showcases some of our finest young black businessmen and non-profit leaders”, said Kerline Jules, Founder of The K.Jules Project. “It is my vision that this initiative will grow to be one of the largest honorary events raising funds and brining awareness to boys and men of color initiatives.”
This year’s impressive honorees included the founder of one of the few African-American owned architecture firms in South Florida, Communications Director for South Florida’s $200 million endowed community foundation, Finance Director for a 100-million-dollar South Florida property and former University of Miami star athlete that turned his passion for athletic development to an award winning business.
The K.Jules Project treated the honorees to a full-blown Distinguished Gentlemen debonair photo shoot at Miami’s Wynwood Image 1st Studio. On the evening of August 26th, an upscale recognition social was hosted in the gentlemen’s honor at North Miami Beach’s lux décor C-Lounge & Cigar Bar. The Honorable Judge Elijah Williams, Circuit Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County, Florida, who currently presides over juvenile delinquency cases, shared a special keynote address highlighting the importance of young leaders getting engaged in the community and the impact of his advocacy work on eliminating the schoolhouse-to-jailhouse pipeline. Also sharing remarks on their boys & men of color initiatives was Benjamin Evans III, Managing Director of BMe Community, a national organization focus on building caring and prosperous communities inspired by black men. The well-attended evening affair with a purpose was hosted by South Florida’s Radio Personality veteran Tamara G of HOT105.
The K.Jules Project congratulates the following 2014 Distinguished Gentlemen honorees for their dedication to making an impact:
Matthew Beatty
Director of Communication • Miami Foundation
President • National Black Public Relations Society (South Florida Chapter)
Zamarr Brown, RA, LEED AP
Owner and Principal Architect • Design2Form
President & Founder • National Organization for Minority Architects (NOMA) South Florida chapter
Brandon Azuka Dibia Okpalobi
Founder & CEO • Dibia Athletic Development
Garth Williams
Director of Finance • Calder Race Course & Casino
About Distinguished Gentlemen
Distinguished Gentlemen: Honoring the Gentlemen Making An Impact, is a debonair recognition event celebrating the achievements of South Florida’s emerging African-American male business and community leaders while brining awareness to boys and men of color initiatives.
About The K.Jules Project
The K.Jules Project, with the tagline Passion. Purpose. Impact., is a social impact initiative launched by South Florida native and emerging leader, Kerline Jules. The K.Jules Project sponsors various projects in the areas of Civic Engagement with the hopes that each endeavor will not only have a positive impact in the community but also inspire others to make an impact in their community.
About Kerline Jules
A native of Miami, Florida and of Haitian decent, Kerline Jules is one of South Florida’s leading young professionals and community leaders invested in public service and passionate about elevating the message of social and economic empowerment. Kerline was recently appointed Village Ambassador for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Blog, The Village, providing a voice and critical perspective on issues of concern within the African Diaspora community. Kerline is the Immediate Past President of the Urban League of Broward County Young Professionals Network, a volunteer auxiliary of the largest and oldest direct services Civil Rights organization. Kerline has been recognized as one of South Florida’s 40 under 40 Black Leaders, Rising Star Community Leader and was recently inducted into the 100 Outstanding Women in Broward County.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters is sending three young people to the Dibia Basketball Camp next month thanks to the spontaneous donation of four charity-minded friends.
Curtis Williams, Lloyd Holder, Glenn Jones and Jeff Baron pooled their money to equally fund two camp scholarships. The Dibia organization was inspired by the gesture and agreed to grant a third scholarship.
Patrina O’Connor-Paynter, the charity’s marketing director, is now looking to build a long-term relationship with Dibia Athletics.
The Dibia Basketball camp teaches basketball, leadership and life skills to children between the ages of seven and 16 years-old during school spring and summer breaks. Next month’s camp is August 4-8. The Bermuda Sun has been a media sponsor of the camps for several years.
Have you had your appetite for some on-court action whetted by March Madness?
Well, the Dibia Spring Skills Clinic is almost here — and there are still places left for budding basketball players from the ages of eight to 18.
The three-day camp runs from April 7-9 at Warwick Academy and is priced at $80 per person.
Dibia Athletic founder Brandon Okpalobi, who walked on for University of Miami before earning a scholarship and playing from 2000 to 2005, will fly in from the States to take the clinic alongside Bermuda national team player Steven Simons.
Okpalobi says the company’s presence in Bermuda — they’ve done two summer camps and one spring clinic previously — is in keeping with basketball’s ‘global’ reach.
“When kids see March Madness…I mean, that’s really the essence of basketball,” Okpalobi told the Bermuda Sun.
“That’s the time you can see anything happen and that gets people motivated and excited.”
He added: “Each year we see new kids, which is great, and we see the same kids we saw before and their talent has increased from our camp or clinic.
“And I know now with the expanson the BBA is doing, taking the kids to Orlando and stuff like that, I think that’s really helping elevate the skills of the kids there because they get to see the skills and competition from other places.”
Okpalobi said Dibia is also happy to help youngsters further their development in the States.
He said: “It would be great if some of them could follow in the footsteps of Sullivan Phillips, Steve walked on at UM, anything like that if we can help in any way possible if a school is looking at them and they need a recommendation, for example.”
He added: We definitely want to expand in Bermuda. Our next step is pushing to Saturday clinics during different seasons in the year to keep the kids going.”
The sessions cater to all levels and Simons says if you’re interested in the game, get involved, have some fun and improve your game.
“It’s a skill development camp,” Simons told the Bermuda Sun. “We look to give the kids a fun experience obviously but it is a focused camp on skill development.
“We start pretty young — in the past we’ve had some six year olds so we start with the basics with them but we cater to different skill levels with different training so it is really all about skill development.
“Brandon tends to give them some motivational messages and life coaching throughout the day — it’s a bit of a mix.”
He added: “It’s a three-hour thing each day so we’ll probably do an hour or two specific on skills ranging from ball handling to shooting, defence, a bit of agility and fitness work and we’ll finish up the day with a couple of games depending on the size of the groups.
“We usually do some skill games as well, some free-throwing competition, stuff like that.”
The clinic’s numbers will be set at around 75 in order to give each player the necessary attention and Simons says even if your child has never picked up a basketball, don’t let that put you off.
He said: “We had a couple of requests last summer from five or six-year-olds who had never picked up a basketball.
“If you look at them at the end of the camp, you can just see their improvements. By all means, if you are interested in basketball, come on out.”
He added: “I attended these camps when I was young and it always excited me to see former national team players provide support to the community — that’s all I really get out of it. I enjoy the coaching side of the game — just giving back.”
Simons said he hopes to entice a number of other national team players to lend their expertise.
He said: “A lot of guys from the national team have helped out in the past.
“It’s really on availability — so we normally get about five or six.”
To register or get more details about the clinic call 543-8826, email info@dibiaathletic.com or log on to www.dibiaathletic.com.