BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Cody-Alexander Jones, a Jamaican water polo player at St. Francis College Brooklyn, was one of the best additions to the men’s water water polo roster in 2018. Recruited by head coach Bora Dimitrov, Jones became one of the team’s integral players.
Now, only a sophomore, Jones is part of the starting line-up, a set defender with a shot that finds its way to the opponents’ net in the most unlikely of situations. Once he extends his arm to release the ball, you can clearly read Ian and Nikki tattooed on his right bicep.
Cody is one of many international student-athletes on the men’s water polo team. Like all of them, he brings a unique perspective, a whole new culture, if you will. He brings something that makes St. Francis College different than many other universities in the country – a true micro representation of New York City. If the Big Apple is a melting pot, then SFC is its miniature version in the heart of Brooklyn Heights. Being there, you experience the full spectrum of diverse cultures, and so I was interested in finding out what’s the difference between NYC and Jamaica.
“You know, people really have this wrong perception of Jamaica. The stereotypical image is that life in Jamaica is hard,” Jones began. “Maybe not hard, but definitely that it can’t possibly be as good as it can be in the States.”
Jones shook his head in disapproval of that image, having inside information that only comes from first-hand experience.
“It’s really not like that. It’s really not that bad. Personally, I was living a dream life there. I lived in a nice house and we had two helpers. I would wake up and have my breakfast waiting for me, my folded school uniform just sitting there for me to put it on. I had little obligations. Life was easy.”
Jones does confirm that there is some truth to people’s perception of his country but, much like most of the time when we learn about other cultures from the news, it’s distorted or hyperbolized.
“We’re just a regular country. We have poor people and we have rich people. Every country has that,” Jones said. “I’ve actually seen both sides of the spectrum. I know people who won’t have to work a single day in their life. But I also know people who have nothing to their name.”
Jones proceeds to tell me about how passionate they are about their music, food, and sports.
I asked him what sports they are passionate about and he replied soccer.
“Well, we just call it football there. You know, because you play it with your feet,” he replied.
I asked Jones what prompted him to wish to leave. From what he had told me so far, I understood that his life was comfortable. I understood that he enjoyed the life he had in Jamaica.
Why come to the States?
“My dad,” Jones shortly replied.
Cody’s father, Ian Jones, used to play water polo. His dream was that his son would follow in his footsteps and, eventually, get to play water polo on the collegiate level. Earn a scholarship, stay in the States, make something out of himself. Jones began by swimming at an early age. He agreed to his father’s wishes and eventually transitioned into water polo.
“At first, I just wanted to play water polo recreationally, as something to aid me in swimming. As it goes, returning to just swimming after experiencing water polo was impossible. So, I started focusing on practice and giving it my all. It really became about water polo.”
Six months later, while attending high school in Jamaica (where high school would be an equivalent of middle school in the U.S.), Jones received a call from the national team to attend one of their practices.
“You were that good after six months,” I asked him.
“Probably not,” Jones said with a laugh. “But I think they saw some potential in me and wanted to see how good of a player I could become.”
Jones would move to Florida with his grandmother. There he would play for South Broward High School, where Dimitrov would later recruit him to play for the Terriers. But there were many things that happened between those two deciding moments in Jones’ career path.
“My grandmother and I lived alone,” Jones began. “I was in Florida for about three months when it happened. I woke up one Saturday and, you know how it is, I was a kid and I wanted to sleep late. I opened my eyes and all I heard was silence.”
Saturdays were never quiet in Jones’ house. He explained that on Saturdays his cousins and uncles would come over and they would spend the day together. Quality time with family playing games and eating and such.
“But it was different that day. I heard nothing. And that was wrong,” Jones says.
He goes on to say how he came down to the living room. How his grandmother was crying and how all of his family sat there in silence. They told him to call his father and he did.
“When he picked up the phone, I heard him say mom’s birthday to someone, I asked him why he was doing that?” To which he replied with a question.
“Did they tell you anything?” Jones’ father asked him.
When Jones gave him a negative answer, his father proceeded to tell him the tragic news. Jones’ mother, Nikki, had passed away.
“I was four when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It was taking a toll on her for a long time. At some point, she was in a wheelchair. After that, she couldn’t get out of bed. When they first told me I collapsed. It took me some time, really, but I was eventually able to understand that she was in a better place,” said Jones.
Jones kept moving forward. He kept practicing and focused on school. He was in Florida and did what his mother and father wanted him to. It was only a little over a year later, that Jones got a call from his aunt.
“Like, what is going on, man,” Jones said to me while thinking about it, still shaking his head in disbelief. “They told me that dad had a mini-stroke. I went home to find out that he was in an induced coma. Why couldn’t they just tell me something, right?”
Jones said that his father had headaches all the time, but he didn’t wish to see a doctor. He got medication, but then didn’t take it. He fell in a coma and unfortunately did not recover.
“I was a sixteen-year-old kid. And I felt all alone.”
I can’t say whether the time made it better, or whether it just hurts less. All I can say is that Cody had the right attitude (if such a thing exists) when I spoke with him. He was a starter for a Division I men’s water polo team. He was loved by his family away from New York, and he had met people who became like a family in New York. More importantly, he still wasn’t playing for himself.
“Growing up, they came to every single one of my games,” Cody said. “You can’t change time, you can only learn from your past experiences. Of course, thinking of them hurts, still. But I play with their memory in my head. I play to make them proud.”
Cody is doing well, his parents would be proud, just like his SFC family is. He’s on the right track, giving his all outside the pool as much as he’s giving it inside the water. His parents, Ian and Nikki, are right there with him and every shot he takes as he walks along his father’s footsteps.
Release courtesy St. Francis College Brooklyn Athletics Communications (by Vukasin Petrovic)
