January 2, 1997 – Adrian Constant was born to Carolyn Christian and Wendy Constant, both from All Saints, where he was raised and still resides.
Adrian took to sports early on, a trait he likely inherited from his parents. His mother, Carolyn, is a national volleyball player and a highly ranked middle blocker, and his dad, Wendy, is a nationally known football goalkeeper and a recognised volleyball player in his community club, Stoneville.
He attended the 7th Day Adventist School for his primary and secondary education. Although this institution does not participate in inter-school activities, that did not limit his participation in or excelling in several sporting disciplines.
Football occupied a major part of Adrian’s younger days. He would eventually migrate from the field of McPond to join the Villa Soccer Academy (VSA), which is a more structured environment to streamline his natural talent. Sowerby Gomes, the Technical Director of VSA, shared about Adrian’s time with the academy. “Adrian is among the most gifted young players to emerge from the Villa Soccer Academy. He was an outstanding goalkeeper as was his father, and a utility player. He led VSA to most goals, regularly playing out of the midfield at the U13 and U14 levels. However, if the defense was under pressure, he could be placed to buttress, effectively cutting off the other teams’ scoring opportunities. He used his height, speed, and agility to his advantage, making him among the best. From a young age, he exhibited a level of discipline and leadership uncommon among his peers.”
Adrian would return to play football for Clubs in All Saints, representing at the youth and senior levels. Schyan Jeffers had the task of coaching Adrian at the youth level and selected him to join the community clubs of Bassa and All Saints United in the Antigua Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) domestic leagues. Jeffers recalls that Adrian was fantastic as a young player growing up. He had all the attributes to become a top-class player, and his knowledge of the game surpassed that of his peers. He was a player with all the skill set to play any position on the pitch. I would tell him to play center-back and, depending on how the game is going, he could be repositioned upfront to strike for a ten-minute period, and the players would know to get the ball to him because he is going to score; he’s going to bring us back in the game. He is a role model player a strong and passionate leader. He likes to joke around is a very jovial person. He is a man of his word and will tell you the truth whether you like it or not.
Adrian would represent in National Football at the Under 17 and U20 youth level and made his Senior National Team debut at the ARG in 2015 versus the British Virgin Islands in the 67th minute under National Coach Peter Novak.
Football was not the only sport Adrian occupied his attention. He played many sports and was considered quite adept. He was sought after to join cricket, basketball, netball, and volleyball teams. Unconfirmed sources indicate he was decent in several track and field events.
In his youth, volleyball became Adrian’s second major sport, taking him beyond the shores of Antigua and Barbuda and eventually bringing him significant success. His commitment and discipline as a youth volleyball player were exemplary, and combined with his talent, he was a formidable player in what is considered the ultimate team sport.
From 2013 to 2016, Constant dominated domestic volleyball. Stoneville’s club won four championships, three national titles, and one President’s Cup title. He would always be among the individual awardees: Most Valuable Player, Best Right Side, and Best Scorer for the domestic season for most years. Nationally, Constant represented Antigua and Barbuda in the Under-18 and Under-23 championships of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association, captaining the Under-18 team to a gold medal in 2014 and the Under-23 to silver in 2016. He earned his first National Sports Volleyballer of the Year nomination in 2016.
At 22 years old, Adrian’s outstanding performance on the local volleyball circuit allowed him to participate in a scouting program in St. Martin funded by the Antigua Barbuda Volleyball Association and Mr Wilbur Harrigan. He successfully earned a two-year part scholarship to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Midway University in Midway, Kentucky, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
Adrian’s volleyball prowess grew in leaps and bounds at Midway University. He becomes the first-ever All-American in the history of the University’s men’s volleyball program. In March 2020 the University’s press Midway Eagles Athletics reported as follows: “Within the Mid-South Conference, Constant ranks within in the top 10 in seven different statistical categories, while he leads the conference in in kills and kills per set. Meanwhile, he ranks second in service aces and service aces per set. Nationally, he ranks third in both total kills and total service aces, while he ranks fourth and fifth in service aces per set and kills per set, respectively. Constant also ranks 32nd in hitting percentage. Constant was one of four student-athletes to earn All-American honors from the Mid-South. He helped lead the Eagles to a 9-9 mark in their second season as a program.”
After three years at the university, Constant was forced to switch to online studies and return home to Antigua and Barbuda because he had insufficient funds to complete his studies. In recognition of his outstanding performance, the university granted him an additional year of funding. Still, he could not access the funds promised by local sources to assist in completing his final year.
His return proved a bonus for the national volleyball program. He immediately raised the level of performance in the domestic league, taking his club team to back-to-back championships, getting involved in the development of the female program, and leading the national men’s team to back-to-back regional championships in the EVCA in 2023 and 2024. This ended St. Lucia’s well-known decades-long dominance. He dominated the individual awards both years, winning Most Valuable Player, Best Opposites, and Best Scorer.
The longstanding President of the Antigua and Barbuda National Volleyball Association shared on Adrian’s contribution to the sport. “Volleyball is the ultimate team sport that builds character, and Adrian is an outstanding example of the sport’s ultimate value. I met Adrian more than ten years ago through his mother, an accomplished national volleyball player herself. He has a deep love for the sport and is considered outspoken, which can sometimes pose a challenge in a team sports environment. Adrian leads by example. He brings a strong sense of commitment, hard work, and a firm belief that the impossible is possible. He is very disciplined and shows a strong commitment to training, a trait not commonly found among local elite athletes in my experience. His leadership strengths include motivating his teammates to elevate their preparedness and mental toughness, inspiring others with a desire to win.”
Neil Cochrane, Second Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and President of the Icons Business League Volleyball Club, shared his views on Adrian’s capabilities. Adrian Constant is one of the most confident athletes I have ever met and worked with; a cool and calm character, barely shows any emotions even under pressure, but rest assured he is always prepared and ready for battle. The harder the challenge, the more energised he becomes. I am very proud of the way he approaches sports, his game, his craft. He is definitely a leader, he will carry a team, lift them up, and motivate them. Whatever he has to do to take them over the finish line. A gentleman that knows that you have to put in to get out, something that is lacking in man of our sportsmen and sportswomen today, most of whom do not want to put in the work required to get the desired results.”
Constant has also represented Antigua and Barbuda in Netball, playing basketball and football in the respective domestic leagues.
He taught for a period before departing for university. During that brief stint, he influenced the young boys at Seaview Farm Primary School, and many still speak positively of his role in encouraging them to take their education seriously.
He is a DJ and hosts a weekly sports show, “The End Game,” on WTP Media Network.
Adrian Constant! His journey continues.