March 10, 2022 – Lakeland, FL –
When Amy Rhodes walked up to FBA CEO Mark King at an FBA game, creating an FBA expansion team may have not been the first topic that Mr. King would have expected to come up in conversation from the Southeastern University student. It isn’t unusual for King to receive messages from people that wish to start a team in the FBA but either don’t commit or find themselves unable to meet the requirements to play in the league. When asked by King if Rhodes was serious about her inquiry about joining the FBA, her response was “absolutely.” Fast forward several months and Rhodes now finds herself as the first female and youngest owner in the Florida Basketball Assocaition as her team plans to participate in the 2022 season. When asked if she feels any pressure to produce a winning season in her first year to prove her worthiness as an owner, her response was, “Yes and no. Yes, because with being the first and only female (owner), a lot of people expect you to fail because they think that you don’t know what you are doing. No, because a lot of people in the FBA already have a lot of respect for me coming into this because I am the first (women owner) and had enough courage to step out and do it.”
Her team is known as the Lakeland Royals, located in Lakeland, FL, and will rep white, black, and blue colors this season, similar to that of their professional neighbors the Orlando Magic. Leading the Royals in their inaugural season will be Coach Charles Jeune aka “Coach Chop”. Jeune brings to the table an impressive resume both at the coaching and playing levels. As a player, Jeune spent two years playing JUCO ball at SUNY Rockland Community College, winning two JUCO championships before transferring to the College of Mount Saint Vincent (1 year) and later to Southeastern University (1 year). As a coach, Jeune brings seven years of coaching experience from the VOH Basketball League in Hudson Valley, NY. “I’ve known Coach Chop since my freshman year of college and I’ve gotten to watch him not only as a player but later go on to coach and train other athletes. Before a decision was ever made, I shared where my heart was at as far as what I wanted to accomplish as a team and organization and it just so happened that our hearts were in the same place and with that we both took some time to pray about it and after that we both just knew this was where he was supposed to be at and I knew he was the perfect coach my team would need to lead and guide them.” said Rhodes.
Both Rhodes and “Coach Chop” know they will need to bring their “A game” if they plan on making the playoffs and Rhodes believes they have a roster capable of surprising many. When asked about her roster, her response was, “Every player on the Royals are key pieces or we wouldn’t have an undefeated preseason. Each player brings something to the table and all of them coming together is what makes our team what they are today.” Unity seems to be a big message conveyed by Rhodes and it isn’t just in a sports team sense. “The Royals are not just another basketball team. This is a team who’s heart is more than just basketball and even though we just started, we are already like a family. Each and every single one of my players will tell you that, but most importantly we put God first as a team.” The Royals find unity within their team but also God which is a common occurrence within the FBA with other teams such as the Florida Flight pursuing discipleship and faith mentoring throughout their franchise.
Amy Rhodes and “Coach Chop” will definitely have many opportunities to learn and adjust as the season begins and progresses, but fans will definitely be treated to entertaining basketball. The FBA has been growing over the years and has found themselves to be the premier semi-professional league in Florida and are already setting standards for semi-professional basketball all over the United States. A popular video gained attention during the FBA’s bubble season of Florida Flight Player Brandon Moss throwing an alley off the back board to himself and this kind of play is not uncommon in the Florida Basketball Association. You can see this kind of high flying action and the Lakeland Royals make their debut later this Spring. League Announcements on the upcoming season can be found at www.thefba.wixsite.com.
