Carrying Marvin Lee’s legacy.
By Shaun Fuentes (Guardian).
Miguel Ross, the younger brother of the late Marvin Lee, is now carrying on his brother’s legacy and is hoping to represent this country on the international stage.
Marvin, the former captain of the T&T Under-20 team, passed away in March 2003, almost two years after sustaining head and neck injuries in a collision with Landon Donovan during a Concacaf U-20 World Cup qualifier at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya. He was left paralysed after the incident and succumbed to illness as a result of his weakened state.
Miguel was nine years old at the time. Now he is at West Chester University in the United States, a Division II that competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). He was the second topscorer with 11 goals in 2013 and in 2014 was named to the Athletic Conference’s All Star second team. His preferred position is left midfield or forward. And his goal—to keep his brother’s spirit alive.
“My older brother had been a major influence in my life. Growing up with someone that was extremely talented and driven made me wanted to excel more in the sport of soccer. My brother and I shared the same love and passion for the beautiful game. We always joked about me growing up to be better than him,” said Ross who began playing at age nine at the Joe Public coaching clinic before moving to Creek Sports and Cultural Club and 1st Santa Rosa FC’s U-17 team.
Talking about his experience thus far in the US, Ross spoke about the differences. “The experience in the US has been very enlightening. I have met new people and experienced new things. The soccer here is so different compared to back home it’s a lot more physical compared to how it was when I left Trinidad a few years ago. The schooling is also different compared to back home, but overall it has been a great experience and I’m very grateful that I have been blessed with these new experiences.”
Now Ross, like his deceased brother, wants to represent the “Red, White and Black” and is eyeing a try out with the national men’s Olympic team currently preparing under Zoran Vranes. “My family, my idol and my country are what inspire me the most,” Ross said. “My country inspires me to excel. I want to put my country on the map. I want to show the soccer world that T&T can be a forced to be reckoned with. We have the talent and the ability to be country that other teams are fearful to play against.”
The drive to accomplish his goals stems from above for this youngster. “As an older brother Marvin demanded that I must be better than him, in every aspect of the game. Every time I put my cleats on and hit the soccer field I feel like my brother is looking down at me saying, ‘Well done little bro, keep doing your thing and accomplish your dreams and goal.’ This thought alone makes me work harder to accomplish my goals,” Ross said.
