South colleges' booster.
By: Mervyn Stewart (Express).[/size]
The Val Turton/Carl Osborne Foundation, which was founded in 2002, is proving to be one of the best things to happen to South's colleges. It was founded in the memory of two outstanding college footballers of the early '50s-Val Turton, a gifted defender who represented Presentation College San Fernando as a student before going on to play for Juniors, SAFA, South Trinidad, Maple and Trinidad and Tobago; and Carl Osborne, who played for Naparima College and later Forest Reserve, Angels, Juniors and SAFA.
He was the first Naparima captain to lead his team to InterCol victory over arch-rivals Presentation.
After his playing days were over he became a successful coach and was responsible for guiding first Naparima and later Presentation to national InterCol championships.
The foundation was formed by a group of San Fernandians who played football during the '40s, '50s and '60s, in collaboration with others, who have since migrated. Some of those involved in the project are Adrian Chandler, Roy Regis, Dennis Turton, Guy Ottley, Wayne Smith, Roy Lynch, Roy Jagroopsingh, Edmund Turton, Leslie Hoyte, Bob Paul, David Sammy, Oswald Thompson, Learie Solomon and Fred Thornhill, all of Trinidad.
While there are the Canada-based Irwin Frank, Ken Davis, Victor Hayes, Theo Coqueran, George Ramdial, Holly Ramdial, Gabie McSween and Winston Cheeseman; as well as Terry Crawford, Trevor Crawford, Panks Crawford and Leslie Thorpe of the United Kingdom; and Sueyn Coqueran, Ghandi Dayal, Cleveland Osborne, Gerrad Osborne, Gregory Rigsby, Carlton Joseph, Trevor Chandler, Selwyn Pollonais, Shirley Turton and Noreen Osborne, who are all based in the USA.
Major objectives of the foundation are:
- to promote an annual InterCol football match between Naparima College and Presentation College
- to assist graduating footballers in the pursuit of tertiary education through the granting of bursaries
- to support the football programs of both Naparima and Presentation colleges
- to encourage the development of football among female high school students.
In keeping with its objectives the foundation introduced an annual InterCol football match between Naparima and Presentation with the winner receiving the Turton/Osborne Memorial Trophy.
The inaugural match in 2002 was won by Naparima, who went on to repeat that feat the following two years before Presentation got their first hold on the trophy last year following a penalty shoot-out.
In addition, and in keeping with its commitment to assist the development of football among female high schools, the foundation stages the Naparima/Presentation InterCol game as the second one on a double-header programme.
The first game brings together the two leading female high school teams in South with the winner collecting a trophy donated by the foundation's patron, Dr. Jean Ramjohn-Richards, wife of President Maxwell Richards..
At each game the foundation recognises the most outstanding player with a cash award of $400 and also presents a trophy donated by the Mayor of San Fernando to the best rhythm section among the supporters.
Also, cash donations are made to the footballing programmes of Naparima and Presentation colleges, as well as the two participating girls' high schools.
The Val Turton/Carl Osborne InterCol Double Header Classic has been given full recognition by the Secondary Schools Football League, who normally schedules the games to be contested immediately following the end of the second round league matches.
This year's double header saw the girls of Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive coming up against their Carapichaima Senior Secondary counterparts (who replaced the initially scheduled Moruga Composite). Pleasantville went on to trounce their opponents by a 5-0 margin.
In the main event, Naparima regained their stranglehold on the annual clash with a 4-2 victory which came via a penalty shoot-out. Renato Ramlochan was voted the most outstanding player at the end of proceedings.
Over the past five years the Foundation has awarded $65,000) in bursaries to 13 students.
At first the recipients were from Naparima and Presentation, but this year's programme was expanded to include graduating students from participating girls high schools, and Tamar Watson, a graduate of Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive School, became the first female to receive a Turton/Osborne Foundation bursary. Other recipients were Renato Ramlochan of Naparima and Dario Hector of Presentation. They both received $5,000 each.
The teams that took part in the annual clash this year were:
Presentation: - Akini Adams, Dario Hector, Jamal Mohammed, Neshav Gookool, Akida Boissiere, Jamal Clarence, Stephan Campbell, Arvid Applewhite, Akeem Adams, Akeem Marshall, Derwyn Lee (captain), Terrence Ramsaroop, Keon Francois, Robert Boyd, Robert Als, Aaron Hector, Stefan Spears, Anton Pierre and Berry Alexander.
Naparima: - Curtis Julien, Dazel Lara, Sherrick Hiliare (captain), Cion Samuel, Keston Smith, Anthony Parris, Javed Mohammed, Renato Ramlochan, Jayson Joseph, Nigel Wright, Jamol Pierre, Christopher Siewsankar, Denny Gualbance, Shahdon Winchester, Dinakah Jimdar, Dwight Charles, Andres Bastidas and Isaiah Smith.
