Malick Secondary's School's re-entry into the top-flight Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League has created more than a bug in the Morvant/Laventille community, and among its ex-players.
On Saturday last, a group of former Malick players such as national football coach Dennis Lawrence, Arnold Dwarika, an midfielder/striker, Stokely Mason, Kerwyn Jemmott, Densill Theobald, Devon Jorsling and Gary Glasgow, were among many others that faced the school's current team in an exhibition match at the Morvant Recreation Ground to provide the school with much-needed assistance ahead of the SSFL season which will kick off next month.
Lawrence said, "It is fantastic for the Morvant/Laventille community because Malick has been a well-known name in secondary school's football ever since, so it's great to have teams like Malick back into the InterCol this year, so hopefully the boys will enjoy it and they can represent well."
Lawrence told Guardian Media Sports that from what he has seen so far, the young players seem to have a good understanding of the game, and also have good ethics, and noted he hopes they can build on those qualities.
Dwarika, on the other hand, said because of the situation with the crime in the country, he embraced the initiative to have Malick back into the schools league as it will impact the community.
According to the former Joe Public and national player, "From being in the dog house all the time to come up and face the big dogs in school football, I think is a great achievement, and I hope that they can live up to it."
Dwarika reminded the young players of the challenges they have had as players, saying in his time the elements were also there. However, although he didn't believe they had the best team then, they were still able to win four trophies in the schools league, something he hopes the young players can take a page from.
Dwarika's only prayer is for his school team to avoid being relegated another time.
"If they play to stay up then everything will come easy. There are some nice young youths there in the team, so it's just about showing them how to go forward. I think they should be a force to be reckoned with," said Dwarika.