Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Tallman on May 07, 2009, 04:59:48 AM
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Brilla to honor Demmin's impact in Saturday's opener
By Ross Dellenger (The Clarion Ledger)
As a child in Trinidad & Tobago, Dwayne Demmin didn't have much of a choice when it came to "futbol," as he still calls it.
He played it. He had to play it. Everybody played it.
A day in the life of 10-year-old Dwayne included soccer before school, when he got to school, during lunch at school and immediately after school.
"There wasn't a day off," Demmin said.
Some 24 years later, not much has changed. Demmin, now a highly successful soccer coach at Madison St. Joseph High, still plays the sport at age 34.
When Brilla Soccer Ministries purchased a franchise in the USL Premier Developmental League in 2007, Mississippi Brilla officials knew who to call first.
"He jumped right in," Mississippi Brilla president Rusty Bryant said.
Demmin begins his third year with the Brilla on Saturday in a 7 p.m. match with the Atlanta Blackhawks at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland.
And this won't be just a normal season opener. It's Dwayne Demmin Night.
Why so much love for Demmin?
Because "Dwayne has had a tremendous impact on soccer in Mississippi," Bryant said.
Demmin came to the United States in 1993 to attend Belhaven on a soccer scholarship.
He's been playing - or coaching - ever since, either for Belhaven, the Trinidad & Tobago national team or, later, professionally in the U.S. minor leagues.
He never made it to Major League Soccer, and he left Mississippi a couple of times to try out for European teams. He was even offered a contract from the Malaysian team, but he turned it down.
Why? "It meant I wouldn't be in Mississippi," Demmin said, "and I wouldn't be able to coach high school."
But coaching couldn't scratch the itch to keep playing. The Brilla, apparently, has.
"Once I found a team close by here like the Brilla, it made everything easy," Demmin said.
As a developmental league team, Brilla can have have only eight players on its 26-man roster who are over 23 years old. The players are not paid, either (Demmin has regained his amateur status).
Most are college players or recent college graduates, honing their skills with their eyes on professional careers.
Demmin's there to help, like a father figure.
"When he steps on the field it's like having a coach on the field," Bryant said.
(http://cmsimg.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D0&Date=20090507&Category=SPORTS02&ArtNo=905070328&Ref=AR&Profile=1063&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0)
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Brilla opens season with ATL Blackhawks
Special to The Clinton News
# 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Mississippi Brilla FC training session at Traceway Park in Clinton
# 10 a.m. Friday
Training session at Traceway Park.
# 6 p.m. Friday
"Meet the Team" exhibition match vs Heroes FC at Traceway Park Field 13. Free admission.
# 7 p.m. Saturday
Mississippi Brilla FC vs FC Atlanta Blackhawks at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland.
# Tickets are $5 at the gate or online at www.msbrillafc.org.
# First 500 fans receive a Dwyane Demmin poster, compliments of M&F Bank.
Mississippi Brilla FC kicks off the 2009 minor league season at 7 p.m. Saturday in Ridgeland against the Atlanta Blackhawks.
The team will have its sights set on something that has alluded them during their first two seasons: the playoffs.
"We narrowly missed the playoffs in each of our first two seasons," said Rusty Bryant, president and general manager. "We are hoping that year three will be the one that gets us over the hump. We truly believe this will be our most talented team yet."
The opening match takes place at Freedom Ridge Park. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased online or at the gate.
The opener, dubbed "Merchants and Farmers Bank Dwyane Demmin Night," is a salute to the two-time All-Conference selection and member of the 2007 Professional Development League's Best 11. The first 500 fans receive a Demmin poster.
Said Bryant: "Dwyane is a fan favorite. It is an honor for us to have him a part of our organization."
"Opening against Atlanta presents a unique challenge for us," said head coach Dave Dixon. "Atlanta always has a strong team, but this is actually a new franchise with new ownership. We are not sure what to expect, except a very good opponent."
The weekend gets an early start on Friday with a "Meet the Team" exhibition match at 6 p.m. at Traceway Park's field 13 in Clinton.
Select members of the Mississippi Brilla FC team will be playing the Heroes FC Academy Team, which is coached by former U.S. National Team player Desmond Armstrong.
Armstrong runs a residential academy based out of Huntsville, Ala. Admission to the Friday event is free.
Mississippi Brilla FC ticket information, season schedules and camp information will be available at the event. Players will sign autographs after the match.
For ticket information and the complete 2009 schedule, visit www.msbrillafc.org.
(http://cmsimg.clintonnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D7&Date=20090507&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=905070321&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=500&MaxH=400&title=1&logo=)
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congrats DD.
anybody know whatever happen to former USL standout craig dennim?
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Glad to see Dwayne and David Austin still playing....
Craig lives in Rochester, NY....
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congrats DD.
anybody know whatever happen to former USL standout craig dennim?
Craig is Dwayne's older brother.
oh and it's Demmin not a pair of jeans. :D
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I remember Craig winning the US Cup with Rhinos so many years ago. Manners dem MLS boys.
Was very proud of him :beermug:
VB
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Hats off to hannibal Najjar for making these things possible.
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Hats off to hannibal Najjar for making these things possible.
????????
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He was a very good player, even thought he was better than Craig. Congrats to him always a cool soldier. Still big as heck.
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Hats off to hannibal Najjar for making these things possible.
????????
Scholarships to the us .....
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He was a very good player, even thought he was better than Craig. Congrats to him always a cool soldier. Still big as heck.
I don't know about that!
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He was a very good player, even thought he was better than Craig. Congrats to him always a cool soldier. Still big as heck.
I don't know about that!
Yeah he was slightly better than Craig - u of all peeople know that too :devil: