PAUL Andrew Stone, the 63-year-old retired track and field athletics coach of Vere Technical High School, was last month hailed as a phenomenal coach whose efforts produced numerous female athletes and hurdlers who excelled in many events under his guidance.

Stone, who served as coach for the school for the last three decades, died on July 12.

A thanksgiving service celebrating his life was held on July 27 at the Christ Church located at Vineyard Town in Kingston.

The service began with musical tributes from Harold Davis, Maria Myrie, Carole Reid, Marjorie Whylie and Winston Ewart.

According to Stone’s former colleague Dr Paul Auden, while he served Vere Technical, Stone was a phenomenal coach by nature with no formal training.

“This was a man with no coaching degree, but an excellent coach. He coached about 25 events at Vere. How did Paul come into sporting? He just loved sports. He never went to any top university for training,” Auden said.

“The one thing that struck me when I went to Vere, was to see some girls from the wrong side of the streets, they had no future and Paul Stone got them to go to Vere. Paul was their father figure and showed them a better life,” Auden added.

He reflected on the good times they both shared while monitoring the development of the athletes at Vere Technical High.

“He was the nickname master at Vere. With the girls, he watched how they performed and gave each a nickname,” he said in a bid to cheer the silent mourners who gathered to celebrate Stone’s life.

John Messam, who was appointed coach for Vere Technical immediately after Stone’s departure, also paid tribute to Stone’s immeasurable contribution to the sport.

Messam said it was Stone and his selfless investment that assisted him in managing the hurdles coaching tactics he inherited from him.

Stone’s sister, Ann Martin, who delivered the remembrance, said she mourned the loss of one of her best friends.

“As far as I can remember, I was Paul’s best friend, sister and all that you can think of. We did everything together. Paul was someone who liked great and exciting things in his young years,” she said.

After sitting the Common Entrance Examinations, Stone was awarded a place at Cornwall College, which he attended before relocating to Kingston and attending Wolmer’s Boy’s School. After his secondary education was complete, he migrated to the United States of America and entered the field of trade unionism.

He later returned to Jamaica and worked in the field of trade unionism before becoming an entrepreneur, the joined the family at Vere Technical and served as their coach before his retirement.

Under his leadership at Vere Technical, he coached Olympians from Vere Technical such as athlete Ethlyn Tate and hurdler Sophia Brown.

He was also remembered for seeking academic opportunities and scholarships for the individuals he trained, as he believed in the combination of education and track and field.

His death leaves a void in the lives of his wife Cherrin, sons Pierre, Paul, Paul-Anthony, Bobby, David and Chris, and daughter Peytra, and other relatives.

His remains were cremated.