Howard University of Washington, D.C. celebrated the achievements of two of its soccer teams (1974 and 1975) on the weekend of November 1st-3rd. FC Santa Rosa President, Keith Look Loy, was a member of both teams (nicknamed the Bisons), and attended several commemorative events held over the weekend, accompanied by his wife, Cathy Ann Look Loy.
On November 1st, the University inducted the 1975 team into its Hall of Fame with a gala event that included inductees from several sports. That year, the team fought its way to the Division 1 semi-final, which it lost. Three Trinidad and Tobago players were members of that team - Neil Williams, Trevor Leiba and Keith Look Loy. The coach was Lincoln Phillips, also of Trinidad and Tobago.
On November 2nd, the Howard University Caribbean Alumni Association hosted the University's 1974 team with a dinner to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its historic victory in the NCAA Division 1 final of that year.
The 1974 team played an undefeated season, winning all of its matches, a record which has stood for fifty years. In accomplishing this feat, Howard University became the first HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to win a national title in any sport. No other HBCU has matched this achievement. Four Trinidadians were members of that team - the three who played in 1975 and Ian Bain. Lincoln Phillips also coached that team.
On November 3rd, Howard University also celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its 1974 NCAA Division 1 championship. The title winning team had previously been inducted into the university's Hall of Fame in November 2014. A gala event was hosted at the Blackburn Center on the university campus, the feature speaker of which was Shaka Hislop, who is a Howard University alumnus and played for the University.
The success of these teams was a triumph for the African Diaspora and for the long struggle of black people for equality and respect in America. Several members of both the 1974 and 1975 teams attended this series of commemorative events, including members from Bermuda, Jamaica, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago.
Members of the team visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture on November 1st. A request for the inclusion of an exhibit on the championship winning 1974 team has been submitted to the Museum and is under review.
The Mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser, wrote an official letter to the team, in which she praised the team for its "legacy of uncommon strength in overcoming adversity" and its "tremendous impact...on the residents of the District of Columbia and beyond".
Team members enjoyed a long weekend of memories and nostalgia, and were able to attend a match involving the current team. Look Loy spoke to the current players and challenged them to match the achievement of their 1974 and 1975 predecessors. The Bison looks to the future.