But one athlete who's found his own funding is 17 year old Douglas Langford - who's gotten a full athletic scholarship to Harvard University.

He is the first Belizean to earn that and when the news first broke this week, Langford received an outpouring of congratulations and well wishings from Belizeans - including the Ministry of Sports:

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports
"Douglas I saw him grow up as a child he is now 17 years old and that is a major accomplishment for the country of Belize so on behalf of the country of Belize I want to congratulate Douglas Langford and his family in particular his mom and dad for pushing him to reach where he is today. I am hopeful he will become a member of the NBA in the next three or four years."

The Minister says that Langford has been working towards his basketball dreams since he was a child, even if it meant leaving Belize to pursue his goals. We asked the minister if he thinks Langford and other Belizeans have to go abroad in order to achieve these significant milestones in their career. Here's how he answered.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports
"Well to a certain extent because we are a very small country less than 40K people if Douglas left when he was 14 years old and his parents are still here they pushed him to go there so I don't think so but that is the protocol I see established over the last couple of years."