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The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) executive has referred the St Benedict’s College captain Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia matter to its disciplinary committee for a ruling that would decide the story of the 2024 Premier Division.
The schools’ body, via a press statement, indicated that the relevant committee would meet at 10 am on Thursday, 14 November. At stake is the Premier Division trophy—and, possibly, even St Benedict’s right to remain in the competition.
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In brief, Garcia missed the whole of third form as he pursued a football opportunity in Spain. The Ministry of Education, according to officials, insist that students must be formally reinstated after a term or more away from school.
A probe by the Ministry of Education officials in south Trinidad declared that St Benedict’s, led by principal Gregory Quan Kep, never took Garcia off its roll or informed the body of his absence from school—and the school did not ask for his reinstatement, which, the probe declared, would make him invalid as a student.
On 25 October 2024, SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan wrote to acting Chief Education Officer Aaron Ramrattan asking whether Garcia was a bona fide student.
The response from the Ministry of Education took two weeks and, arguably, did not clearly answer the question.
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Ramrattan’s letter to the SSFL yesterday stated:
- Derrel Garcia was assigned to St Benedict’s College through the SEA 2021 placement and registered at the school on 14 September 2021;
- On 7 July 2023, the parents of Derrel Garcia requested study leave from August 2023 to May 2024 for him to proceed on a football scholarship;
- For the academic year September 2023 to July 2024, he was absent for the entire period;
- On 25 September 2024, the parent of Derrel Garcia wrote requesting his reinstatement;
- Derrel Garcia resumed attendance at St Benedict’s College on 8 October 2024, as verified from the attendance register at the school.
Armed with this document, the SSFL Disciplinary Committee will try to decide Garcia’s status as a school footballer.
On 30 August 2024, the St Benedict’s principal submitted Garcia’s registration form for the SSFL “claiming that Derrel was a bona fide full-time student of St Benedict’s College”.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that, when Quan Kep signed the form, Garcia had not attended school in over a year. The fact that Garcia’s parent wrote requesting the young man’s reinstatement on 25 September logically suggests he was not a bona fide student when St Benedict’s registered him as one.
And Garcia played in three Premier Division matches before he “resumed attendance at St Benedict’s College on 8 October 2024”. The “La Romaine Lions” picked up a maximum of nine points from those games, with Zoom Zoom scoring three times.
Garcia also played—and scored—on Wednesday 9 October when St Benedict’s defeated Queen’s Royal College 2-1.
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At the least, St Benedict’s would lose all three games, which would see them drop to fifth place in the 16-team standings. (At present, Fatima College are second on the standings, six points shy of the leaders.)
However, there is no word that St Benedict’s ever re-registered Garcia after he resumed attendance at their school.
If St Benedict’s did not register their captain, would the school have to forfeit points for all matches involving Zoom Zoom?
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The SSFL Constitution, under Procedure for Registration, states that:
Students must be duly registered, according to the existing rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education, and on the official roll of the school presenting the team. These students must attend classes at that school during normal school hours.
Garcia, based on information provided by the Ministry of Education, does not meet all—if any—of those criteria.
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The Penalty of Infringement for violation of that rule, in the Constitution, is: Suspension of the school from further competition in the division for the remainder of the season.
The acting Chief Education Officer could have been of greater service to the SSFL.
His response noted that “the parents of Derrel Garcia requested study leave from August 2023 to May 2024”. What Ramrattan did not say was whether that request was forwarded to the Ministry of Education.
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The prior probe by MoE officials declared that this information was not forwarded to the Ministry.
Ramrattan stated that “the parent of Derrel Garcia wrote requesting his reinstatement”. However, he did not say who the parent’s letter was sent to.
Again, the probe said the parent’s letter went to St Benedict’s but, crucially, was not forwarded to the MoE. Therefore, the Ministry never reinstated Garcia.
Ramrattan told the SSFL when Garcia “resumed attendance”. But he did not say, crucially, whether the Ministry views the 17-year-old as a legitimate student under its rules and regulations.
For context, the initial probe recommended immediate suspension for Quan Kep and that the school principal be taken before the Teaching Service Commission. It is uncertain whether that potential future legal battle led to an arguably cautious response from the acting Chief Education Officer.
Still, the SSFL is not short on information in relation to the league’s marquee player, Garcia.
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The best player in the schools football league was apparently not a legitimate student for at least three games this season—if not more.
What happens next?
St Benedict’s College’s 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division title chase—or, more accurately, the school’s use of form Read more
Trinity College East (TCE) savoured two narrow victories in one evening as they made progress across separate Secondary Schools Football Read more
Holy Cross College goalkeeper Donnell Thomas was among the goal scorers today as the 2024 Coca Cola National Intercol competition Read more
Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) general secretary Azaad Khan has confirmed a seven-point deduction for St Augustine Secondary for using Read more
No other football team can catch St Benedict’s College now! Whatever their fate in the boardroom, there has been little Read more
“We won’t say the title race is over,” said St Benedict’s College assistant coach Clint McMillan. “You can’t count eggs Read more
Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
The boy was and continues to be a bona fide student of St. BC.
Attendance of classes cannot equate proper registration at a school. Many registered students have been absent for extended periods for legitimate reasons eg Surgery, contagious disease, accidents causing serious injury and prolonged recovery time, inability to walk etc. such situations never threated their registration status. If a student misses substantial time during a term without proper explanation by parents, they are to be removed from the roll since abandonment is assumed. The fact that a football trial takes an academic year is not the students fault. Are we saying that exceptional football talent should not pursue opportunities to explore this option? Principals and parents need to promote the best interest of their students. When T&T were going to Bahrain for their world cup qualifier, a gifted Fatima college pannist was invited. It meant missing a CSEC exam to accept the opportunity. He confirmed in an interview years later that his principal agreed that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and was allowed to go, missing an exam but not punished for it as he proceeded to A levels without a pass in that subject. There are always going to be teenaged sensations in varied sports and with different talents. Who would agree that the teen sensations at Real Madrid should have stayed at school and not explore their options for professional sport, like Messi did? Once more sport administrators search for ways to frustrate sports and our talented youth. I’m just so sorry that Mr Garcia’s talent is a problem for administrators. I’m also sorry if another team gets the trophies and golden boot etc. can’t imagine a worse feeling ‘victory’
I don’t understand why there even has to be a disciplinary hearing when the moe has stated that he is indeed a student of st benedicts,which means he is a registered player
Lol Lisa Morris you are too funny .