Proud founder of Crown Trace Football Club, Nicholas Griffith was finally on the receiving end of his high-end Kia Soul sports utility vehicle, yesterday, three months after his colleague’s story won the global “Power of Football” award by FIFA.
Griffith, 28, who is also head coach of the Secondary Schools’ Football League’s (SSFL) newest powerhouse in Central Zone, Chaguanas North, collected the keys to his new vehicle at a ceremony held at Kia’s showroom in Port-of-Spain.
Earlier this year, Griffith learnt he had won the prize after John Patterson Chaguanas North Secondary, a welding teacher and the Chaguanas North’s football and basketball manager John Patterson entered the tournament by issuing an article highlighting Griffith’s ability to transform the lives of many underprivileged youth from the community of Crown Trace and surrounding areas in Central Trinidad.
Patterson, who was also present at the ceremony yesterday won himself a pair of tickets to attend the final of the Fifa World Cup currently being held in Brasil. T&T Football Association (TTFA), general secretary Sheldon Phillips and Central Football Association president Bryan Layne, as well as advisor to the Minister of Sport, Caryl Kellar were also present.
In his address, Griffith said he felt appreciated for the award as he gave the last seven years of his life to the youth of the Crown Trace community. “When I looked at my community and the social ills plaguing it, I could not just give up on them. Today I can say that I have no regrets about what I’ve done and I’m not going to give up. I think the prize that I won was a reflexion of the genuineness of my heart.”
Giving the feature address, Director at Southern Sales, Shiraz Ahamad described Griffith and Crown Trace Football Club as “a success story, driven by one man with a dream, passion and the belief in the power of football to make a positive change.
“This gentleman (John Patterson) eloquently told his story of how the power of football transformed his Crown Trace community, a community plagued with social ills—drugs, juvenile delinquency and crime to name a few,” said Ahamad. “It just needed one man to accept the call to make a difference in the lives of the youth of Crown Trace, Enterprise.
The Crown Trace community inspired Nicholas to act in an effort to get the youths more involved. Since its establishment in 2009, Crown Trace has become one of the most recognised youth-focused football clubs in the country.
The club has held the prestigious Republic Cup Central zone crown for four consecutive years in the Under-17 and Under-15 divisions and two years in the Under-12 and Under-10 divisions. The club is also a four-time defending champion in the CFA’s youth football league in the Under-15 and Under-17 divisions.