WHEN LAST have you been to a star-filled football event without having to purchase a ticket?
Tomorrow, fans can head to the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo to show their support to the “Football For a Cause” relief football match in aid of flood victims by showing their generosity.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that there will be no ticket purchase or admission fee required for entry when the gates open at 5.30 pm. All fans will need to do is bring their relief items or a cash contribution to access entry to the event, which is generating tremendous support and excitement since its launch on the weekend.
There will be a number of former national footballers as well as local sporting personalities and entertainers on show. TT’s first Olympic gold medallist Hasely Crawford and NAAA president Ephraim Serrette have both pledged their support to the venture and will take part in the evening’s activities.
Other past and present national sporting personalities who will be involved include organisers Dennis Lawrence and Stern John, Clayton Morris, Brian Williams, Kenwyne Jones, Angus Eve, Arnold Dwarika (football), Kevon Cooper, Dinanath Ramnarine (cricket), Aleena Edwards (table tennis), Jeffrey Harris, Mikhail Williams (basketball), Joseph Quashie and Aasan Lewis (rugby).
A host of groups are also supporting the cause, such as Carib, Sports and Games, 63 Lounge, Healthnet Caribbean Limited, PressPlay Jukebox, TTRN, TTen, Wack Radio, Boom Champions and Power 102, Flow TV, the Defence Force, the Police Service, Sport Company of TT and the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC).
Cooper, a member of the back-to-back Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champion team Trinbago Knight Riders, said he was in high anticipation of tomorrow’s event as he sees it as a most fitting way for athletes and others to make their contribution to the cause.
“This has been a great idea and gesture and I’d like to compliment the men behind it such as Dennis Lawrence and Stern and everyone who has been on board so far,” said Cooper.
“I am really happy to have this opportunity to take part in it and I am appealing to all of Trinidad and Tobago to come to the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday and be part of a very significant event. Last year, we contributed through the cricket match to our Caribbean neighbours and now it is our turn to come together and give whatever we can to our own countrymen, our family and our friends to help them get back on their feet again,” Cooper said.
Those interested can also drop off items at any Healthnet Location nationwide, the TTOC headquarters on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain or 63 Lounge on Ariapita Avenue.
RELATED NEWS
Lawrence: Let’s help our brothers and sisters.
By Jelani Beckles (Newsday).
Football For a Cause match tonight…
TT men’s football coach Dennis Lawrence said that people of T&T have always supported national athletes and entertainers, and now it is time for the roles to be reversed.
Lawrence was speaking at the Football For a Cause media briefing at the #63 Bar at Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook, yesterday. Local celebrities including present and past national athletes, and entertainers, will take part in a football match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo for those affected by the recent flooding at 7.30 pm today.
People are asked to bring relief items or cash donations to enter the Stadium to see Team Relief play Team Hope. Gates will open at 5.30 pm. Team Relief will be led by former Strike Squad captain Clayton Morris and will be coached by former national skipper Angus Eve, who is also expected to play.
Team Hope will be captained by former national footballer and current national coach Lawrence and will be coached by former Strike Squad defender Brian Williams.
At the briefing yesterday Lawrence said, “We have asked T&T to come out on many occasions whether it be for football, basketball, events that MX Prime would be having. We have asked T&T to come out and support us. Now I think it is our time to come out and support T&T.”
Lawrence, one of the main organisers of the event, urged the public to support the venture.
“We have managed to pull this together with a fantastic group...we are looking out for T&T to come and support what we are trying to do and we are looking forward to T&T to come and enjoy a fantastic event. We want it to be enjoyable, but most importantly we need to understand why we are doing this. We are doing this for a fantastic cause. When you look around and see what is happening over the last couple days, we need to pull together and help our brothers and sisters and we need to do this in the most positive way we could find.”
Soca artiste MX Prime, along with reggae artiste Isasha and the Laventille Rhythm Section are expected to perform at the event. MX Prime said he felt he needed to get involved as a citizen of T&T. “When I was called by Dennis I knew what he was asking of me to be a citizen of the Republic of T&T,” MX Prime said.
“This country has done so much for all of us in this room, and we are extremely grateful to be representing the red, white and black especially in this particular initiative.”
MX Prime said everyone in T&T was impacted in some way by the flooding. “It does not matter if you have been affected by what took place, whether your place was flooded out or not, whether your property was destroyed or not. We all feel this because many of us who are thanking God nothing happened went into their pockets, went to the various supermarkets and groceries and they gave.”
Team Relief: Angus Eve (coach/player), Clayton Morris (captain), Clayton Ince (goalkeeper), Akim Toussaint, Aleena Edwards, Ancil Elcock, Anthony Wolfe, Arnold Dwarika, Clint Marcelle, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ephraim Serrette, Fiona Holder, Franz Huggins, Gary Glasgow, Gary Griffith, Janine Francois, Jeffrey Harris, Jerwyn Balthazar, Karyn Forbes, Keyeno Thomas, Kirth Davis, Lamani Clarke, Brent Sancho, Reneice Boyce, Reynold Carrington, Rhea Belgrave, Ron Alexander, Russell Munroe, Stern John, Tasha St Louis, Tia Bruno, Tyrone Charles, Rayshawn Mars.
Team Hope: Brian Williams (coach), Dennis Lawrence (captain), Ross Russell (goalkeeper), Aasan Lewis, Adarayll John, Ahkeela Mollon, Anika Brice, Trevor Nottingham, Cherelle Thompson, Cyd Gray, Devon Jorsling, Floyd Lawrence, Hasely Crawford, Hutson Charles, Joseph Quashie, Kelvon Charles, Kenwyne Jones, Kerry Jamerson, Kevin Ollivierra, Kevon Cooper, Larry Joseph, Marvin Faustin, Mikhail Williams, Natasha St Louis, Leonson Lewis, Peter Granville, Russell Latapy, Shawn Pouchet, Solomon Eccles, Stacy-Ann King, Sue Ann Cordner, Wesley Webb, Anthony Streete.