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.

O’Neil said the contribution was a way of giving back to an organization that played an important role in his early years, before he entered public service.

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 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, 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,” O’Neil said in a social media post.

The A Chance to Shine Academy provides cricket training and mentorship opportunities for young people in Antigua and Barbuda.