Anyone who thought that The St Michael School Cougars roared their loudest on repeating as boys’ Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships champions and sharing the girls’ title with Christ Church Foundation last Friday should have been at the Martindale Road institution yesterday.
With screams and songs of unbridled joy, athletes, coaches, teachers and a large contingent of supporting parents and former students celebrated the record achievement, almost forgetting that the area was a silent zone.
While teacher Jalisa Josiah showed her chanting skills flinging down ABC lyrics linking the Cougars to the 26 letters of the alphabet, principal Dr Yvette Mayers sang an original tune “bigging up” the performance of her students. With various chants and shouts, everyone was acknowledged for the track and field performances.
Sponsor Ensure gave packages to all of the athletes, while the ten selected to the Carifta team were specially applauded. Emotions once again got the better of head coach Gabriel Burnett as he was forced to wipe his eyes on many occasions, as some of the athletes outlined the role he and other coaches had played in their success.
With chief education officer Karen Best in attendance one of the highlights of the event was Mayers, former principal Shelton Perkins and retired former long-term PE teacher Jennifer Swanson-Jones unveiling championships banners a la NBA.
All eyes were focused on a replay of the boys and girls 4×400 championship races and the applauses and cheers were almost deafening when Rhea Hoyte slipped her cousin Rosette Hoyte of Foundation on the anchor leg to seal the tie.
The three hours of celebrations were briefly interrupted for the athletes to enter the hall and enjoy some food and drinks before they and former athletes and officials boarded air conditioned coaches to embark on a motorcade tour starting at Warrens and touching a number of significant points in the island. (KB)
