In honor of San Fernando City Month, the San Fernando Tennis Club is set to organize a one-day Juniors and Open tournament at Skinner Park on November 29, starting at 9 am. This event aims to celebrate the city’s rich tennis heritage and showcase the talents of its standout players. Senior member Patrick Charles highlighted the club’s 62-year history, emphasizing its role in nurturing champions across various local formats. Among its notable alumni are Akiel Duke and Kino Francis, both of whom have represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Davis Cup (Americas) level. Akiel Duke, a 31-year-old left-handed player with a double-handed backhand, first competed in the Davis Cup as a junior in 2014 and made his most recent appearance in 2023. A former University of TT (UT) Patriots Tennis student-athlete, Duke is the 2019 Shell Tranquility men’s singles champion and holds a National Engineering Technician Diploma (NETD) in mechanical engineering. In 2020, he established Duke’s Tennis Academy, now based at Heritage Petroleum, Pointe-a-Pierre. Kino Francis, another product of the San Fernando Tennis Club, has been a member since he first picked up a racquet. Raised in Embacadere, San Fernando, Francis developed through the local tennis pathway and went on to represent Trinidad and Tobago. His passion for player development led him into coaching, where he has made significant contributions. Francis served as the Junior Davis Cup coach in 2023 and 2024, guiding TT to consecutive second-place finishes—the country’s best results in the tournament’s history. In 2025, he coached the boys U14 World Juniors team to a fourth-place finish. Francis also played a pivotal role as an assistant coach for the TT men’s Davis Cup team in 2024. Today, he continues to shape future champions through his tennis academy, Kourtside Konnection, dedicated to developing young talent and expanding opportunities for youth in the sport.
分类： sports
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Dinking Problem cop SPIRIT Mas Pickleball title
The first annual SPIRIT Mas Pickleball Invitational Tournament concluded with a thrilling victory for team Dinking Problem, who claimed the competitive division title. Held at the Chinese Association of TT (CATT) in St Ann’s on November 23, the event showcased intense matches and spirited competition. Dinking Problem, led by captain Jake Da Costa, dominated the tournament, defeating JJ’s Smokehouse 2-0 in the final with scores of 21-19 and 21-8. Their journey to the championship included hard-fought victories over Medinks and Sweet Spot Tobago in the earlier rounds. Meanwhile, JJ’s Smokehouse, captained by Jesse Butts, secured the silver medal after battling through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. In the social category, Guru Gang emerged victorious, defeating J’ouvert Jumbeez 2-0 in the final. The tournament, sponsored by Stamina Energy, brought together 12 teams across both divisions, fostering community bonding and athleticism. SPIRIT Mas CEO Adrian Scoon emphasized the event’s role in uniting people and promoting active lifestyles. With overwhelming success, the organizers plan to host the tournament again next year, further strengthening community ties through sports and culture.
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Sammy confident as WI seek to end 30-year drought in NZ
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has expressed confidence in his team’s readiness as they prepare to face New Zealand in an upcoming Test series. Despite a challenging history in New Zealand, where the West Indies last won a Test match in 1987 and a series in 1995, Sammy remains optimistic about their prospects. The team’s recent performances in the T20I and One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand, where they were competitive but fell short, have bolstered their morale. Sammy highlighted the team’s ability to create opportunities and their improved mindset as key factors heading into the Test series. The West Indies will play a two-day warm-up match against a New Zealand XI before the first Test begins on December 2. Sammy emphasized the importance of execution and the team’s determination to challenge New Zealand, aiming to end the year on a high note. Reflecting on their recent Test match against India, where they pushed the hosts into a fifth day, Sammy believes the West Indies have the potential to compete at the highest level. The three-match Test series presents an opportunity for the West Indies to rewrite their history in New Zealand and showcase their growing resilience and competitiveness.
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MBU returns to ‘iconic’ Jarrett Park as temporary home
Montego Bay United (MBU) has announced that it will temporarily host its home games at Jarrett Park for the upcoming months in the Jamaica Premier League. This decision comes after the Montego Bay Sports Complex, their usual venue, sustained severe damage during Hurricane Melissa on October 28th. The historic Jarrett Park, long celebrated as the spiritual home of football in western Jamaica, will serve as the interim home ground for MBU, starting with a match against Waterhouse Football Club on December 21st at 3:00 pm. The Montego Bay Sports Complex, which had been MBU’s home for the past two seasons, was devastated by the hurricane, with extensive damage to the football field and the 400m running track due to heavy clay soil deposits. Yoni Epstein, chairman of MBU, estimated that restoring the complex to its former state could cost approximately $300 million. Epstein emphasized that the move to Jarrett Park represents a significant step toward restoring normalcy and community spirit in Montego Bay after the hurricane’s destruction. Jarrett Park, a gift from the Kerr-Jarrett family to Montego Bay, has a rich history of hosting local, national, and international sporting events, including cricket and football competitions. Its reopening for Premier League football symbolizes resilience, unity, and the indomitable spirit of the community. The park has been the venue for legendary matches and unforgettable moments, including the finals of the daCosta Cup, Ben Francis Cup, and Olivier Shield, as well as home games for St James’ National Premier League champions Violet Kickers, Seba United, and Wadadah.
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Maldon High withdraw from daCosta Cup
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Maldon High School has been compelled to withdraw from the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition, which is scheduled to resume this Saturday. The decision comes in the wake of the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which has left the team unable to adequately prepare for their crucial match against Christiana High. This announcement was officially confirmed on Wednesday.
Maldon High, having achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the Round of 16 for the first time, was set to face Christiana High in the opening game of a doubleheader at Manchester High. However, Coach Dillon Thelwell revealed to Observer Online that the school had no alternative but to make what he described as ‘a very tough decision.’
Thelwell, who led the south St. James-based school to their first-ever second-round qualification from the highly competitive Zone A, disclosed earlier this week that the team had been struggling to conduct training sessions. Many players were severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, which struck on October 28th. In a subsequent update on Tuesday, Thelwell admitted that preparations had still not commenced.
‘The turnout has been dismal, with no more than seven players attending at any given time,’ Thelwell explained. ‘Several boys have lost their homes or suffered significant damage to their properties. Some have lost their school uniforms, and others have seen their books completely destroyed.’
Maldon High had previously suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to Cornwall College in their first Round of 16 game, placing them at the bottom of the Zone 1 standings alongside William Knibb Memorial, who lost 3-0 to Christiana High.
As the situation unfolds, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), the organizers of the competition, are awaiting official confirmation before determining the outcome of the zone. The withdrawal of Maldon High marks a somber moment in the tournament, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of natural disasters on communities and their aspirations.
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Four Windies players hit fifties in New Zealand warm-up match
The West Indies cricket team showcased a dominant batting performance on the first day of their two-day warm-up match against a New Zealand XI at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln University on November 25. The visitors concluded the day at a formidable 346 for five, setting a strong foundation for their upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, which begins on December 1. The top-order batsmen demonstrated exceptional form, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul leading the charge with a solid 85 off 211 balls. Brandon King (79 off 91), John Campbell (68 off 98), and Kavem Hodge (55 not out off 102) also contributed significantly, each scoring half-centuries in a display of batting prowess. Campbell and Chanderpaul established a robust 130-run opening partnership, with Campbell playing aggressively before being dismissed. King and Chanderpaul continued the momentum, guiding the team to Tea without further loss. Chanderpaul retired at Tea, making way for Hodge, who aims to secure a spot in the Test squad. King’s dismissal by leg-spinner Rahman Hekmat marked a minor setback, but Hodge and Tevin Imlach added 68 runs for the fifth wicket before Imlach was bowled on the final ball of the day. The match serves as crucial preparation for the West Indies, with rookie fast bowlers Johann Layne and Ojay Shields expected to gain valuable practice on day two.
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Guyana’s Boxing Chief endorses Casimir
Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) and Director of Sport for Guyana, has publicly endorsed Kenson Casimir, Saint Lucia’s Sports Minister, ahead of the country’s general election on Monday. Ninvalle highlighted Casimir’s transformative leadership in sports and his unwavering commitment to athletic development in Saint Lucia.
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Reggae Boyz poised as favourites ahead of intercontinental play-offs
Jamaica’s national football team, the Reggae Boyz, led by interim head coach Rudolph Speid, are poised as strong favorites in their upcoming intercontinental play-offs against New Caledonia. The match, scheduled for next year, will see the Reggae Boyz face off against the Pacific island nation, which currently ranks 149th in the FIFA World Rankings. New Caledonia, a French territory with a population of under 300,000, has shown significant progress, climbing 11 spots since June 2024. They emerged victorious in their preliminary group, defeating Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands while drawing with Fiji. Their journey continued with a 3-0 semi-final win over Tahiti, though they fell 3-0 to New Zealand in the final, missing out on an automatic World Cup spot. New Caledonia’s coach, Johann Sidaner, acknowledged the challenge ahead, emphasizing Jamaica’s superior FIFA ranking of 70th and the geographical advantage of having supporters in Mexico. Sidaner, who began his coaching career at USSA Vertou and later led FC Nantes’ pre-academy, has been at the helm of New Caledonia since 2022. Despite limited match experience—only six games in three years—the team boasts 11 overseas-based players in France’s lower tiers, including key figures like goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine and top scorer Georges Gope-Fenepej. The play-offs promise to be a test of resilience for New Caledonia, as they aim to defy the odds against a formidable Jamaican side.
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Pride overwhelms Volcanoes with spin and power
Barbados Pride showcased a commanding performance to secure a seven-wicket triumph over the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the CG United Super50 Cup on Sunday. This marked their second consecutive win in the tournament, solidifying their strong form. Off-spinner Kemar Smith was the standout performer, dismantling the Volcanoes’ batting lineup with a sensational five-wicket haul. His spell triggered a dramatic collapse, reducing the Volcanoes from a promising 104 for two to a meager 137 all out in just 37.2 overs. Smith’s figures of 5-25 were complemented by Javed Leacock’s 2-22, ensuring the Volcanoes never regained momentum. Chasing a modest target, Barbados Pride faced early setbacks, losing both openers quickly. However, a pivotal 104-run partnership between Zachary McCaskie and former West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite turned the tide. McCaskie fell just short of a half-century, but Brathwaite remained unbeaten on 59, guiding his team to victory in 24.1 overs. The match between the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Jamaica Scorpions was abandoned due to heavy rain, adding an unexpected twist to the day’s proceedings.
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Perreira questions selection strategy as WI gear up for NZ Tests
Veteran cricket commentator Joseph “Reds” Perreira has expressed skepticism over the West Indies Cricket Board’s decision to retain Jomel Warrican as vice-captain for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand, commencing on December 1. The West Indies, often referred to as the Men in Maroon, enter the series on the back of disappointing performances in both the T20 International and One Day International series, despite showcasing moments of competitiveness. Perreira argued that Warrican, a left-arm spinner, may not be the ideal choice to support captain Roston Chase, particularly given the pace-friendly conditions expected in New Zealand. He emphasized that vice-captaincy decisions are typically made on a series-by-series basis, suggesting that alternative candidates should have been considered. Additionally, Perreira raised concerns about the absence of fast-bowling duo Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, who are sidelined for the remainder of the year due to injuries. He questioned the rehabilitation process and the steps being taken to ensure their return to peak form. The squad for the tour includes the return of seasoned fast bowler Kemar Roach, who is expected to play a pivotal role, alongside debutant Ojay Shields and returning player Kavem Hodge. Perreira did not object to these selections, focusing his critique primarily on the vice-captaincy and injury management issues.