Dear Editor,

When the final whistle blew on December 20, 2025 and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) lifted the daCosta Cup for the first time since 2015, the roar that followed was deserved.

The players earned it. The coaches engineered it. The supporters fuelled it. But as someone who has worked quietly behind the scenes of schoolboy football for years, I want to shine a light on a group that rarely gets public recognition, the support staff whose work often determines whether potential becomes victory.

For the past two years I have had the privilege of serving as sports psychologist to the reigning champions, alongside my colleague and performance coach, Tashani Harris-Morgan. This journey, however, was never just about winning football matches. These young men endured shared trauma when Hurricane Melissa struck while they were at camp on school grounds. They experienced fear, uncertainty, loss, and the difficult process of picking up the pieces afterwards within a parish where, even now, some communities remain without electricity.

But that is not the focus of this reflection.

What deserves attention is how teams function when pressure rises, expectations grow heavier, and history looms large. STETHS last held this title in 2015. Carrying that weight is not simple. Glenmuir High School, their worthy opponents in the final, were no walkover. They entered hungry, having been beaten at the final hurdle the year before. Their desire to win was just as strong. Ironically, I had also been part of Glenmuir’s successful Ben Francis Cup team in 2023, and several players from that squad were now senior members of their DaCosta Cup team. At different moments, both teams were exposed to mental skills training, STETHS more recently, but the contrast in outcomes highlights an important truth.

Talent alone does not win championships. Having worked across multiple schools with a team of performance coaches delivering mental skills training islandwide, one pattern is unmistakable: The teams that advance deep into competitions, reach finals, and ultimately win titles are those whose leadership believes in the process. The effectiveness of mental skills training rests heavily on the principal’s involvement and the head coach’s support, and by extension, the entire management team.

When a head coach actively partners with the psychologist, attends sessions, reinforces mental tools during physical training, and integrates psychological principles into daily coaching, extraordinary things happen: confidence grows, emotional regulation improves, players respond better under pressure, and teams become more cohesive. Conversely, when leadership is aloof or disinterested, the results, or lack thereof, speak for themselves.

This season reminded me that my job becomes significantly easier when I am part of a collaborative ecosystem. At STETHS, the management team was willing to learn, adapt, and incorporate the techniques taught. They were coachable, just like their players. That alignment created the conditions necessary for success.

So, today, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the entire STETHS family. These young men carried not only the weight of a decade-long title drought, but the hopes of a parish searching for light, hope, and inspiration. They delivered.

Special commendation must go to Principal Keith Wellington, Head Coach Omar “Rambo” Wedderburn, and Athletics Director Neil Harrison. Gentlemen, the way you embodied and operationalised the concept of the ‘Power of We’ surpasses anything I could. Together, that collective belief lifted the daCosta Cup high once more.

I also congratulate every school, every player, and every support staff member who participated in this season of schoolboy football. Football is never won by 11 players alone. Success depends on many people, not just showing up, but believing and delivering.

Another time I will speak about the resilience and mental fortitude of this champion team. For now, let us acknowledge a simple truth: Teamwork works. And when leadership believes, unity follows and victory is inevitable.

Dr Olivia Rose

Applied sports psychologist

oliviakrose@yahoo.com