Legendary Tobagonian coach Bertille St Clair was honoured yesterday in the presence of some of former national and other players he coaches, student, family and friends when a plaque in his honour was unveiled at the Signal Hill Secondary School where coached for more than two decades.
St Claire was an English nad Physical edication teacher at the school for many years up until his retirement. He also coached the national teams of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and was in charge of Trinidad and Tobago at the Gold Cup in 1998 and 2000.
This was part of three days of activities organized by the Principal and staff of the Signal Hill Secondary School, in collaboration with the school’s former footballers, St. Clair’s Coaching School and former national players of the 1980s. St Clair told Guardian Media Sports that he was overjoyed. He said, “ I am very happy and I want to congratulate the guys who came up with the Idea and done it and they say it is always better when you could accept it, don’t wait until you move on. Congratulations to the guys and the Signal Hill Staff. I’m feeling great.”
Pamela Nicholson, a former Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs in the NAR regime of 1985-1990 was present at the ceremony.
Nicholson said that under her tenure she was responsible for all senior secondary schools getting involved in football. Before that, it was only colleges playing football in the likes of Fatima, CIC, QRC, Presentation. It was colleges football.
Nicholson said she got the support for Alvin Corneal to ensure the programme was expanded at the secondary level.
She said, “Mr St Clair has done a great job for football in Tobago. He had a coaching school. I again was responsible for Mr St Clair coming to work in Signal Hill.”