Naps' season to remember.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).[/size]
"A cut above the rest". That was the declaration made by Naparima College coach Shawn Cooper after his team won the most valuable prize in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), the RBTT National InterCol.
Perhaps it sounds like a blatant boast, but the fact is there is merit to that statement. "Naps," the rulers of the South Zone, have been there or thereabouts consistently for a decade and then some. And only a 3-2 loss in the BGT&T national "Big Five" final to San Juan Secondary Comprehensive kept them from completing a sweep of titles for the second time in their history. They previously did so in 1999.
"Naps" have only secured two national league titles in their history. But the InterCol is incontestably their thing. A record six titles (1973, 1976, 1977, 1999, 2000, 2007), achieved with Tuesday's victory over El Dorado Secondary Comprehensive of the East Zone, places them beyond the rest in this elite list.
Before Tuesday, Naps shared the record of five wins with Tobago stalwarts Signal Hill Secondary Comprehensive, as well as the famed San Fernando Technical Institute teams of the 1970s and 1980s.
And after a few years in the national "wilderness" (just one national title in the last six years, 2005 Big Five), Naparima have emerged again from their sea of blue.
And as per usual, Naparima once again dominated the opposition in the South Zone. Although some stiff resistance this year meant it came down to their final match to decide the winners. Both Presentation College and Princes Town Secondary Comprehensive enjoyed a resurgence this year, and a contest between this pair decided Naparima's fate, after they lost to Siparia Secondary--promoted in 2007-- on the final match day.
As things turned out, a slim margin of victory, though, for "Pres" meant Naps held onto their title in preference to "P/Town's Green Hornets".
Resistance also came in the South InterCol final, despite the unfortunate accident which led to a badly broken leg for Naps' striker Nigel Wright, during a hard-fought encounter against Pres that Naparima stole away in the dying seconds of injury time.
However, with such an injury, and Wright needing at least a year and a half to recover, there could have been no better present than for his teammates to dedicate their victory to him on his 19th birthday.
But although San Juan disappointed the enthusiasts by failing to get out of the blocks in the knockout competition, they can have the slight consolation of knowing they are the only team to have got the better of the southern giants in a manner that in Naps' eyes left a blemish on an otherwise wonderful season for them.
San Juan's capture of the BGTT national "Big Five" title built on their national InterCol success of the previous season. The latter part of the first decade of the 21st century is proving to be momentous for them too.
It will take some doing over many years however for San Juan to come close to emulating the Naps record. It's been said that it can be a lonely place at the top. But Naps don't seem to mind being lonely one bit.
My SSFL XI: (Based on performances for 2007)
Goalkeepers: Curtis Julien (Naparima), Matthew Jardim (St Mary's).
Defenders: Sherrick Hiliare (Naparima), Akeem Adams (Presentation), Randy Primus (Malick), Deon Caprieta (St Augustine), Uriah Bentick (St Anthony's).
Midfielders: Robert Primus (Malick), Shahdon Winchester (Naparima), Elijah Manners (San Juan), Daneil Cyrus (Mason Hall), Leston Paul (St Mary's), Sean De Silva (St Mary's), Akeem Marshall (Presentation).
Forwards: Jamal Gay (El Dorado), Daniel Joseph (St Augustine), Jamal Clarence (Presentation), Qian Grovesnor (St Anthony's).
Best coach: Shawn Cooper (three titles).
Best goalkeeping performance: Joseph Craig (Arima), East InterCol semi-final vs St Augustine.
Most Valuable Performer (match): Elijah Manners (San Juan), "Big Five" final.
Special mention: Jason Edwards (coach, St Mary's).
Special mention (team): St Mary's (From Senior Division to North title and National "semis").
Best Skipper: Veer Lakhan-Joseph.
Best match: St Mary's College vs Presentation College, InterCol quarter-final.
Best team spirit: St Mary's.
Coach Cooper hungry for even more success.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).
Most schools football teams would be more than contented just to wrap their arms around the RBTT InterCol trophy after a victory in the final.
For Naparima College coach Shawn Cooper, this is hardly the case. He is still not satisfied with the one that got away-the "Big Five" national league title.
Cooper, who is also part of the technical staff at TT Pro League side W Connection, coached several of the club's youth players to the InterCol title on Tuesday, the clean sweep eluding "Naps" when they lost 3-2 in the Big Five final last month.
"We want all the silverware possible," Cooper reflected following the match that brought the 2007 season to a close, "and as I said before, this is just an extension of the (Vibe CT 105) W Connection youth programme and we will continue to develop the football and the players."
The Naparima players dedicated the win to their fallen comrade, striker Nigel Wright, who will need at least 18 months to get back on his feet after suffering a broken leg during the competition. But Cooper had another reason as well for wanting to win.
"This is the second time because of football I am not there for my son's birthday (today), and I wanted to carry home a medal to rest on his shoulders tonight," the winning coach explained on Tuesday, "and I will do so."
Coincidentally, Wright's birthday was also on Tuesday, so the victory was well shared.
"We promised him (Wright) a birthday gift, and this is the birthday gift," Cooper said.
So what was his advice to the team after a 0-0 halftime score against El Dorado Secondary Comprehensive in the final?
"I told the boys just relax and it will flow," he revealed.
Naps skipper, defender Sherrick Hiliare, had a slightly different motivation for his team.
"We needed that victory because we lost that Big Five final," he pointed out. "We said e weren't going to lose the National InterCol (final too)."
Although Naparima is not his alma mater, Cooper's allegiance is definitely with his current team.
"It means a lot to separate ourselves from the rest of the pack," Cooper says. "I being a Pres (Presentation College) old boy, I am proud to be part of Naparima history, and will continue to try my best to develop the players and the football."
