Quest -whither Sterling&Aarons if still yard side?

[Stonigut]

So the question is what would Sterling and Aaron's be doing today if they stayed in Jamaica, would they be playing football at all or would they be working or .... Would they be chilling on the lane.

Would Sterling be playing for marverly hughenden and if so could he even find a path from there to the national squad, same with Aaron's, the thing that they both naturally have is speed and nimbleness and a fast brain to body connection, would those attributes be enough to get them recognized get sufficient training to make it from the community that they were born in and if not that means we are leaving a massive number of talented kids a wasting.

So one way to identify both early is by speed and by cognitive testing, where is that program today in jamaica to test, track and develop the best 8-14 year olds?

[Stonigut]

What happen, the man dem fraid FI answer this question.

This is a fundamental question that truly exposes the massive gap in our football development process or maybe that we just have no vision on how to best tap the potential lying right in front of us.

Where would Sterling and Aaron's be right now if they were still in Ja.
Would they even be playing competitive ball?

Now England identifies these two as the very best of the new crop?

[Karl]

So the question is what would Sterling and Aaron's be doing today if they stayed in Jamaica, would they be playing football at all or would they be working or .... Would they be chilling on the lane.

Would Sterling be playing for marverly hughenden and if so could he even find a path from there to the national squad, same with Aaron's, the thing that they both naturally have is speed and nimbleness and a fast brain to body connection, would those attributes be enough to get them recognized get sufficient training to make it from the community that they were born in and if not that means we are leaving a massive number of talented kids a wasting.

So one way to identify both early is by speed and by cognitive testing, where is that program today in jamaica to test, track and develop the best 8-14 year olds?

Aaah bwoy?
Stoni: We have systems in our schools - (buk-up or deliberately created?) - to identify speed - quickness as it relates to reaction, 'first steps', speed across ground generally and inherent endurance - and cognitive testing.

Just think on:
- track programs in each school - (class Phy. Ed. & intra-house competitions).

The fact is even at our lowest trained levels, the worse of our teachers=coaches generally speaking 'track' as taught and a discipline as observed has tremendous human involvement.

- Certainly in the classroom there is emphasis on cognitive testing...and in good schools - can only speak to the pre-primary, primary and high schools I attended and the primary, high schools and the Teachers College that I taught at - tremendous work done on encouraging 'logical thinking'.

...so using the above the basics system if properly utilized should have been producing better footballers, football administrators and long ago have had us had a vibrant football industry!!!! ...but then I have been saying that on the board and before for years.

Sterling and Aaron and others making it out of JA as footballers? ...tend to think that would have been 'teeny-weeeeeeeeeeny-weeeeeeeeny' chance!

[Gamma]

they would be playing manning cup.

[Gamma]

they would be playing manning cup, maybe?

[Stonigut]

I am not so sure about that!

[Stonigut]

I don't think that is the case at all, and certainly if we look at certain type of communities the youth there have little or no chance of ever breaking into certain schools and in getting into the 'stream' I am sure that if we break down the detail of players on a national level that certain schools are over represented and if we do the same analysis in track and field we will see a wider dispersion of talent across schools which of course is based on a more concrete selection process.

[Peter R]

Stoni, has Jamaica ever produced, LOCALLY, an 18 yr old who is starting on an EPL or any major pro league side? I can't think of any... They would probably be playing Manning Cup as Gamma said.

Another way to consider this is to think about what many of us would be doing had we not left JA. Many of my friends who didn't leave are doing very well but at the same time I think leaving JA has opened up career avenues that JA does/did not provide.

[Karl]

I don't think that is the case at all, and certainly if we look at certain type of communities the youth there have little or no chance of ever breaking into certain schools and in getting into the 'stream' I am sure that if we break down the detail of players on a national level that certain schools are over represented and if we do the same analysis in track and field we will see a wider dispersion of talent across schools which of course is based on a more concrete selection process.

Excellent point - Point on (I take it you meant High Schools) is well taken. It is indeed criminal that so many of our talents are not even allowed a 'look in'.

The following was added - after my re-read - as I would not wish that after a read of the earlier statement there is a misunderstanding by any reader - The point I made on available 'system' to identify talent is there to be properly used in a manner that would provide greater numbers of the talented. That hopefully would lead to improved quality of our players and greater opportunities at professional contracts...improved local TEAMs, the local leagues (school through NPL) and National TEAMs.

[Paul Marin]

Stoni, has Jamaica ever produced, LOCALLY, an 18 yr old who is starting on an EPL or any major pro league side? I can't think of any... They would probably be playing Manning Cup as Gamma said.

Another way to consider this is to think about what many of us would be doing had we not left JA. Many of my friends who didn't leave are doing very well but at the same time I think leaving JA has opened up career avenues that JA does/did not provide.

Bibi Gardner is the one and only, but he only got a chance because of the World Cup (imo).

[Karl]

Stoni, has Jamaica ever produced, LOCALLY, an 18 yr old who is starting on an EPL or any major pro league side? I can't think of any... They would probably be playing Manning Cup as Gamma said.

Another way to consider this is to think about what many of us would be doing had we not left JA. Many of my friends who didn't leave are doing very well but at the same time I think leaving JA has opened up career avenues that JA does/did not provide.

Have many friends who in JA were being frustrated as there was no way they could have advanced to the type financial well being they now enjoy. ...also have greater numbers who were considered dunce in JA who now have on total numbers have associate degrees through to doctorates.

You are bang on, sir...on the opening of career avenues and by extension your unstated but clearly understood opportunities at trades, vocations, professional avenues and even casual manual labour that allow for upward mobility. It underscores TALENT ABOUNDS but in our JA the nurturing and development of same for various reasons does not occur.

[Stonigut]

Yup Bibi is the closest I can think of, many got chances but they were either too slow or not disciplined enough to step up to the level, makes you want to go back and see what exactly was the difference with Bib and from my standpoint he was football quick and fast on top of his skillset and also from a discipline standpoint he was more ready than say Keith Kelly and any of the others that got a chance early, he also emotionally was superior to all at that age, he got in fit, stuck to it, made himself indispensable on a rising Bolton team, you can also see his sticktoitiveness through the number of injuries and recoveries and Bolton was behind him all the way.

[Karl]

Yup Bibi is the closest I can think of, many got chances but they were either too slow or not disciplined enough to step up to the level, makes you want to go back and see what exactly was the difference with Bib and from my standpoint he was football quick and fast on top of his skillset and also from a discipline standpoint he was more ready than say Keith Kelly and any of the others that got a chance early, he also emotionally was superior to all at that age, he got in fit, stuck to it, made himself indispensable on a rising Bolton team, you can also see his sticktoitiveness through the number of injuries and recoveries and Bolton was behind him all the way.

'Smarter'!
...always thought TEAM first. (...in same 'smarter class' Pepe but did not have the skill set to make the move to the highest levels).

Now 'Tappa's' problems that kept him just below the top level, I think, had to do with physical attributes - not strong enough and not fast enough -- possible?

Kelly, Fuller, Claude Davis, Shelton, Lowe...even our last entrant to the lower English Tivoli's Daley were not smart enough to accept their limitations and maximize on their talent. They were immersed in 'me' rather than 'TEAM'! They all could have concentrated on doing the simple things much better using their strengths - for the players named in this save Claude Davis the strength as paragraph that strength was one-on-one beating ability matters not the technique used to accomplish same - only as needed.
I think that showed that relative to Bibi they were just not as intelligent/smart.

[Karl]

Off topic - Aarons looks good!

[Stonigut]

Bibi was above average to good in everything plus having the discipline and probably very important is he could listen and execute.

I think this is the area we are in general the weakest in, we full of argument, know more than, and pretty prideful, which I can also say is true for me as well.

That does not work well in a team so unless you are a superstar the going is rough. Worse yet when you think you are a superstar and everyone else think you are average and the total inability to hit the reset button.