B Y JESONI “FIJI” KURUYAWA
Alphonso Howlett is one common name around the GMC community. Howlett has excelled academically and athletic wise where he gained much knowledge around the obstacles of life. He was part of the team that had 21 wins and 5 loses back in 2007 and 2008 season, including winning the north east championship and was coached by one of the most experience coaches who had a mentally of never giving up, Todd Montana. Howlett has graduated from Green Mountain College and is now working at Poultney high school as an Instructional assistant, and he also coaches the seventh grade boys team.
Assisting him with coaching is international student, Jesoni Kuruyawa, commonly know as “Fiji” (he is from the island of Fiji). A junior at GMC, he takes time helping Mr. Howlett develop basketball plays and nurturing the young minds of the seventh grade team. He was also a member of the 2007 and 2008 season along with Alphonso Howlett. He enjoys working with the young kids and seeing them improve their basketball fundamentals.
These two men have worked together all season to try and develop the basketball program at Poultney High School with the help and guidance of the eighth grade coach Nick Sawyer.
Sawyer, a physical therapist at the high school who also coaches the eighth grade boys team, gives up his busy schedule to help coach basketball. He is an inspirational figure to the boys and his friendly presence says it all.
Howlett stated that the whole season was very successful granted that they only won three games. Furthermore, he stated that the boys improved a lot compared from day one. He wants to develop the fundamentals of basketball and commented it all starts from the grass root. “We need to start to develop the game at an early age,” Howlett commented.
Howlett is not planning to leave anytime soon. He plans on continuing to build the basketball program here in Poutlney with the help of Nick Sawyer and Jesoni “Fiji” Kuruyawa. Eventually he stated that he would want to gain more knowledge of the game as a coach and use his playing experience to help build a name for himself.
