<

/p>

Am I so round with you, as you with me,

That like a football you do spurn me thus?

You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither:

If I last in this service you must case me in leather.

— Shakespeare,The Comedy of Errors, II, 1

Who would have thought that even in the days of Shakespeare they would have footballs? And they were cased in leather too, not like these modern, aerodynamic balls that are used now. Those of us old enough may remember when footballs were made of leather, with a rubber bladder inside that had to be inflated. Then it was laced up and ball was ready to roll.

When it rained and that leather ball got wet, it felt like it weighed a ton, yet people like Lindy Delaphena and Allie McNab could kick that ball so hard it would break goalposts and burst the net.

I guess the new generation won’t even know those balls, but I remember them from my teenage years when we used to roll ball in Harbour View with people like the late Billy Perkins, Nigel Goodison, Vin Blaine, Donovan Hayles and others.

The sweetest words to hear was, “Ball ah roll.” In other words, football is rolling, ball is being played. And how sweet it was. We played every chance that we got; barefoot in the streets — sometimes with mismatched boots — at the park and, of course, at our respective schools, Kingston College, St George’s, Jamaica College, Wolmer’s or whatever school young boys of the time attended.

That’s our kick-off today, Ball ah Roll, right after these breathy responses to ‘Fit for life’.

Hi Tony,

Back in my teenage years I would use weights to try building muscles on my skinny body and take long bicycle rides for leg exercise. I had a healthy appetite like most teenage boys, but could never put on weight. Today there are numerous machines and devices that simulate walking, running, resistance training, stepping, skiing, etc — all without leaving the comfort of your home. Exercise has become high-tech and more convenient, yet many still find excuses not to workout.

Wickham

Hi Teerob,

I am one of those women who gets up at 3:00 am to go walking, and you are perfectly right when you say that women who do that have no men. I have no man. Well, I do, but he’s away in foreign. When he’s home I go walking at 5:00 am, which is a more decent time. No woman who cares about her man is going to get up out of bed to go walking in the dark. I love to exercise, but my man comes first. You make me laugh with your insight.

Sharon

This football season has been a terrific one, and the standard of play among the schoolboys has been great. Players from as young as age 13, 15, and of course the older boys who play in the Manning and DaCosta cups, the Walker Cup, the Ben Francis Cup, and now the Flow Super Cup, display great football skills.

Of course, my alma mater is Kingston College, and this year they were tipped to do well in all competitions. All the pundits agreed that KC was playing the best brand of football and scoring the most goals. But alas, sometimes the best looking team does not always win. Remember Brazil?

The gremlins of football have their plan and play tricks with that ball during games, making it hit the crossbar and goalposts with excruciating heartbreaking regularity. But hitting the frame does not a goal make, and history is full of what-ifs and almosts. That’s why they say that bad luck is worse than obeah, and some teams just seem to be plagued with bad luck.

Wolmer’s won the Flow Super Cup, clipping Cornwall College 1-0, with the Cornwall defenders kicking themselves for making such a simple error that gifted Wolmer’s with that late goal. The ball is round, and the gremlins have their say. Congrats to Wolmer’s.

Then Jamaica College won the Manning Cup, defeating Wolmer’s in no uncertain way in the finals 3-1, winning that title for the fourth-consecutive year. Congrats to JC.

So it was on to the Walker Cup, where the winners of each zone had to battle it out for honours, knockout style, loser goes home. It was KC versus the much vaunted JC, who were touted all over the media due to their Manning Cup success. The fast-paced, frenetic match lived up to its hype. The bad luck bogey haunting KC was finally lifted, the gremlins smiled on the team; no more hitting the crossbar and goalposts, but putting the ball in the back of the net. The “Purples” demolished the Manning Cup champions 2-0. Congrats to KC.

Having defeated the Manning Cup champions in no uncertain manner and also the Flow champions Wolmer’s in the early stages of the Walker Cup, what does that make KC? Do the analysis, do the math.

I must commend sports analyst Zidane Mathews of KLAS Sports Radio for consistently stating that KC would defeat JC in the Walker Cup. He outlined how they would win too. Congrats, Zidane. KC also won the Under 16 Urban Colts title, crushing Calabar 3-0 in the final. Congrats, KC.

The rural schools rolled some good ball too, and Lennon High shocked St Elizabeth Technical High to take the Ben Francis Knockout Trophy. I must say that one of the best goals that I saw all season was that rocket screamer from Lennon. Congrats, Lennon.

Season favourites Cornwall College won the DaCosta Cup, beating St Elizabeth Technical 2-1. Congrats, Cornwall. The best looking rural team to me — as far as technical skills, style and flair — was Clarendon College when they thrashed XLCR 5-1 in the Flow Super Cup. Only they could match KC in technical ability and playing of the beautiful game. “The ball game sweet me seh, ball ah roll nice.”

What still bothers me is this recruitment practice of building teams by assembling players from different schools to make one team. I do not mind if a few players are recruited, but this wholesale influx of strangers who have no deep allegiance to the school other than playing ball is most disconcerting to me.

I have friends and relatives from Calabar who are most upset that a certain team had over 12 former Calabar boys in its squad, lamenting that that team should be named WoolBar. Then this other team has the street title of JCFC (football club) behind its name. When I heard their officials talking about development plans I had to smile. One senior official went public, saying that he’s making no apology for their recruitment programme.

I guarantee that a boy who spends a year or two at a school after being recruited from another school cannot have the same passion and zeal for his new school as a boy who has spent many years there. They have no history. The passion that I feel for KC even now as an adult is overwhelming.

KC won the Under 14 Urban title four years in a row, never losing a match in all that time until they lost 0-1 to Tivoli this year in the final. Congrats, Tivoli. KC retained the Under 16 Colts title two years in a row now, never losing a match. Then KC won the Walker Cup this year with a very young team, some boys still on the Colts team. That’s three finals from different age groups, winning two. Now that’s building a team from within. It’s no fluke, but stems from a real development programme.

Oral Tracy was right when he said in his Sports Commentary that it was little surprise that the two teams that recruited the most would end up in the Manning Cup finals. Congrats, Oral. Again, I have no problem with a few boys being recruited, as the reason given is, “We get overseas scholarships for them.” But this large-scale shunting of bodies, all for the sake of football, upsets me. Some schools justify it by saying, “We didn’t recruit them, they came to us.” Right. Dangle carrots before rabbits and see what happens.

What a season it has been. The thrills, the spills, the joy of victory — Lord how it sweet — to the agony of defeat, Lord how it painful. The laughter, the tears, the shouts of joy, the groans of losing.

There were five different champions in all competitions this year: Wolmer’s — Flow Super Cup; JC — Manning Cup; KC — Walker Cup; Cornwall — DaCosta Cup; Lennon High — Ben Francis Cup. Only KC has won two titles to date, the Walker Cup and the Colt’s Cup. This can only be tied after the Olivier Shield between JC and Cornwall.

So, ball a roll, and we’ll do it again next year.

More time.

seido1@hotmail.com

seido1@hotmail.com

Footnote: Still on sports, I have to comment on the boxing match that our very own “Axeman” Walters took part in. Boxing is a rough sport, but boxers are supposed to be rough, tough people. Axeman should never have quit that bout because the other guy was getting the better of him. Better if he went down for the count or feigned an injury.

But to just stop like that — with no cut, no injury, no sight problem, still hale and hearty — is so wrong. Listen, I know pain. They say that big lick worse than death. I have been there in martial arts and boxing, so I know of what I speak. But he shouldn’t have quit like that. Now his credibility is in question. Fortis Axeman, Fortis. Never yield.