It’s a little bit uncanny that I had wanted to return to discussing trauma, particularly the impact of bullying, before the issue raised itself vehemently in the public space. The story of five years of alleged physical abuse at St Mary’s College suffered by a student, who was expelled when …
Read More »‘JB’, ‘Bound to Score’, ‘Marvellous’ and ‘The Little Magician’: My all-time T&T football XI
Britain-based author Richard Blackett, who, at present, is working on A History of Football in Trinidad and Tobago, 1908-2006, made an interesting challenge to me: Who would I pick on my all-time Trinidad and Tobago XI? Of course, such selections are highly prejudiced by their very nature. But it did …
Read More »Noble: The Arima Warriors—how Dial Dynamos were reborn
The historical overview A Short History of Santa Rosa De Arima by Jean Patricia Elie states: “[…] Arima was effectively Indian Territory. For most of the 16th and 17th centuries, the district of Arima was the home of the Nepuyo, whose active resistance to Spanish Rule effectively limited Spanish attempts …
Read More »Noble: Raising the next generation—on Akeal’s “escape” and Tyeisha’s travails
Akeal Hosein, the latest West Indies cricket sensation, described his father, in an interview published on CricInfo, as “the perfect role model” who worked two jobs and one evening collapsed with exhaustion upon walking through the door. He was a man who spoke to him with respect and as an …
Read More »Corneal: Talent was not the issue! TD discusses T&T’s shortlived Concacaf U-20 adventure
“[…] We saw an array of talent across the board and not with just 20 players. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the group is such a talented group of players. “[…] Your questions are throwing me straight to the coach… Better you ask me about …
Read More »RBNYFL 24: Araucans thump Unisons; FC Ginga edge PUFA to stay perfect
Jeremiah Charles scored a double as Arima Araucans Academy shut-out Ultimate Unisons 4-0 in East Zone Under-16 action in the 2024 Republic Bank National Football League (RBNYL) tournament at UWI Admin East Field on Sunday. Charles fired home in the 17th minute of the match after Unisons goalkeeper Gary Clarke …
Read More »SSFL 23: Will San Juan be first secondary to lift Premier title? Wired868’s mid-term review
The 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division has so far thrown up arguably the most competitive title race in recent memory. With seven games left in the 15-match regular season, the top three schools (San Juan North Secondary, Fatima College and Naparima College) are within three points of …
Read More »Intercol suggestions: More teams, random draw and “mid-season Intercol breaks”
The following is written in my capacity as Arima North Secondary football representative and team manager and serves as a presentation for the SSFL General Council: The National Intercol is almost certainly the football tournament with the biggest name recognition in Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic game. It is synonymous with …
Read More »Vaneisa: Growing a beautiful game—the communal role of grassroots sport
Barbecues, cake stalls, car washes—common fund-raising strategies of communities and individuals trying to attain some goal. They don’t raise much, but it is an example of the way people can come together to do things for themselves. I am coming back to a subject I raised a couple weeks ago …
Read More »SSFL 2022: Grayson guides St Mary’s to Big 5 title, after holding Arima goalless in Velodrome showdown
St Mary’s College ended their 2022 season with the penultimate Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) boys under-20 trophy at stake but it was a hard-fought affair in the closing National Big 5 competition at the Arima Velodrome on Sunday evening. At kickoff, the “Saints” had nine points from three matches …
Read More »Vaneisa: Priceless goals—where sport and youth development meet
Around dusk, a couple weeks ago, as I was leaving the Massy supermarket in St Augustine, a group of maybe six young boys—I’d guess between eight and 12—were trooping around the car park soliciting donations. They approached me and said they were trying to raise funds for their football club. …
Read More »SSFL 2022: Fixtures Committee brushes off Arima’s “no confidence motion”, after Big 5 confusion
“[…] How can the SSFL decide that an unavailable ground is reason enough to postpone an already rescheduled game in a tournament that has already started a month late—and when there were grounds available elsewhere? “[…] I object to (SSFL assistant secretary administration and fixtures committee member) Gerald Elliot’s disregard …
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