Calabar old boy establishes fund in honour of slain coach

Calabar High School’s proud tradition of excellence in track and field is set to receive a significant and sustained boost with the launch of the Nicholas Neufville Fund, an initiative spearheaded by Calabar old boy and former standout athlete Jorel Bellafonte.

The fund, which is valued in the millions of Jamaican dollars and is set to run annually, has been established in honour of the late Nicholas “Soapman” Neufville. It will provide financial assistance to members of Calabar’s track and field team, helping to offset expenses related to the Penn Relays, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships (Champs), Christmas training camps, as well as examination fees for CSEC, CAPE and SATs.

Calabar High School has formally endorsed the initiative, with Principal Sian-Mahay Wilson describing it as a powerful act of legacy, gratitude and giving back.

“Calabar High School proudly endorses the Nicholas ‘Soapman’ Neufville Fund, established by past student-athlete Jorel Bellafonte (Class of 2013), founder and owner of New Cayman Construction Company Ltd,” said Wilson, who revealed that Head Track Coach Julian Robinson has also embraced the initiative.

“The fund honours the late Nicholas ‘Soapman’ Neufville, a beloved Calabar old boy and long-serving horizontal jumps coach who dedicated approximately 19 years to shaping generations of long and triple jump athletes. Though not directly coached by him, Mr Bellafonte recalls the profound impact ‘Soapman’ had on the athletes who admired and respected him deeply.”

Wilson noted that the revolving fund will support the Calabar track team throughout the season, assisting with training camps, nutrition, academic needs, and participation in major competitions, including the Penn Relays. She added that Bellafonte views the initiative as the least he could do to honour a man who gave selflessly to Calabar, while also calling on fellow old boys to contribute meaningfully to their alma mater.

Bellafonte, who credits Neufville as a pivotal figure in his own development, said the fund reflects the values instilled in him during his formative years at the school.

“Nicholas played a crucial role in my development as a student-athlete. He was one of the first to see my potential at a time when I was struggling with the transition from the Cayman Islands to Jamaica. He was able to give me the confidence required to become an asset to the team while preparing us for life after Calabar,” Bellafonte said.

Now the Chief Executive Officer of New Cayman Construction Ltd, Bellafonte has built a successful career in the construction industry. His company recently completed renovation works at the prestigious Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa, a Forbes Five-Star facility, and is currently involved in the third-largest construction project in the Cayman Islands, while managing multiple government contracts concurrently.

Neufville was a beloved, long-serving jumps coach and former athlete at Calabar High School, where he spent nearly two decades mentoring young men in the long jump and triple jump. Widely respected for his humility, discipline and hands-on mentorship, he was instrumental in shaping both the athletic and personal development of countless students.

Neufville was tragically murdered in February 2021 and his body found dead alongside a female companion in an open lot in Portmore, St Catherine. His death triggered an outpouring of grief across the Calabar fraternity and the wider Jamaican athletics community.

He was also a co-owner and founding coach of the Legacy Track Club, extending his influence beyond the school environment. Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association President Garth Gayle described him as a dedicated and humble coach who was deeply committed to the welfare of his athletes.

Bellafonte’s own athletic career remains a significant chapter in Calabar’s history. A standout Caymanian middle-distance runner, he attended Calabar High School in Kingston, graduating in 2013, and famously became the first non-Jamaican athlete to win a gold medal at Champs.

He was a Class 2 (2011) and Class 1 (2013) champion in the 1500 metres, and a key member of Calabar’s middle-distance relay teams, helping the school win the 4x800m relay at the 2014 Penn Relays in 7:37.36. Later that year, he was part of a quartet that clocked 7:33.39, one of the fastest times by a Jamaican high school team in more than two decades.

After leaving Calabar, Bellafonte went on to attend Clemson University, while representing the Cayman Islands internationally.