Raffeal Neal was recognized a year ago in front of the St. John the Baptist Parish Council for his efforts creating and leading the Heat Youth Organization, a nonprofit operating in St. John Parish that offers youth football and basketball recreation opportunities to area boys and girls.

A year later, the whole team shared in the spotlight.

Neal, along with coaches Gerald Poullard, Kirwin Jackson and Head Coach Dayna Nicholas led the all-girls squad to the ninth grade girls Youth Basketball of America National Basketball Championship last month in Orlando.

The Heat’s championship was the first time the squad won nationals, state or regionals. It was truly a run of unprecedented success for an organization started just a few years ago, because Neal said there weren’t many athletic opportunities offered to local females.

District III Councilman Lennix Madere Jr. once told L’OBSERVATEUR readers Neal uses recreation to bring community members together.

“Instead of the kids having guns and knives, they will have bats, balls and gloves in their hands,” Madere said. “I think Mr. Neal is one of the individuals that is trying to do this. I applaud him for the effort.

“One of the problems with some of the youths we have — and I mean kids from 5 to 25 — is they need some type of activity in their life. Through recreation and people like Mr. Neal, we can make the community better.”

What’s truly remarkable about the basketball players’ accomplishments was not Neal and the rest of the coaches leading the squad to success, but the fact they inspired a group of hard-working local female athletes to accomplish something special.

And now, the community has a championship to share.