Talent, not race, Mr Bartolo

THE EDITOR: I read Mr Rolf Bartolo’s letter (Newsday April 13, 2004 — “Include All Races in Trinidad and Tobago Sports Teams”), in response to Mr Lincoln Phillips’ speech at the awards ceremony of the PFL 2003 season. His reference to players like Moutett, De La Bastide, Sookram, Quanvie, De Bruin (other races) representing Trinidad and Tobago football in their time, suggests that he has some knowledge of the talent that was available to a national coach at a time which still remains ‘the golden era’ of football in Trinidad and Tobago.

To say that this ‘policy’ of across-the-board selection when Gally Cummings took over as National Coach suggests as well that Mr Bartolo as a football coach is operating in a vacuum. It was not that ‘White, Indian and light-skinned people’ were encouraged by selection, Mr Bartolo. They gained selection purely on the basis of the talent they displayed at primary and secondary school levels, and later for clubs and leagues which they represented (PoS FL, NFL, SFA, SFL). During that era Mr Bartolo, the crowds came out in droves to support local football at every venue from Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin to Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. The Queen’s Park Oval was the home venue for clubs like Malvern, Maple and Colts while Juniors, Lantern Giants, Hurricanes and Sheffield did battle at Skinner Park.

What Mr Phillips did not say, but which I am sure would have been understood by all, especially football coaches, was ‘provided that they (players) have the necessary talent.’ Mr Phillips will readily admit to the uneasiness he openly displayed as a keeper whenever Sookram, Archibald and De Leon were anywhere around the eighteen (18) yard box. Would Mr Bartolo care to suggest the reason/s for ‘other races’ being excluded from National Teams for Athletics, Swimming, Hockey, Women’s Cricket, bearing in mind that Gally Cummings was never associated with any of these sporting disciplines. Would Mr Bartolo care to identify any White, Indian or light-skinned footballers who came through the primary, secondary or club level who displayed a level of talent comparable to that of the players to whom he referred and was excluded from the National Team.

AINSWORTH SYLVESTER
La Romaine