Every ship has a captain and every team a coach. Over the last four years, Anslem Robley better known as "Cappy" has been at the helm of the Roxborough Secondary School (RSS) Female Football teams' success. Much has happened with the RSS Female Football team they were last seen in their shining glory but that decline did not last forever.
Although 'what goes up must come down.' The drastic fall was much harder than expected for Cappy and the team. Especially, after they have been the reigning champions for the last three years. RSS Female Football Team since held the titles for Tobago Secondary School Football as league champions and Tobago inter-col champions between 2009-2011.
Highlighting the seasoned players like Njemile Charles, Shaliza James, Novella McWellington, Kerrisha George, Andrea Fraser, Latifah Topin and Shanice Sylvester. The dynamics of the team changed immensely at the close of the 2011 season. It was the bitter reality that those seven seasoned players were graduating after CXC.
The students went on to pursue 6th form education elsewhere because currently there is no sixth form class at RSS. Losing became an unfamiliar feel for the team since they were so accustomed to being victorious over all their secondary school counterparts.
Massaging his forehead, the sad truth replayed in his mind of the rain of nil's they received this season, barely able to score 3 goals. "It was mind boggling. I was prepared for it mentally but not emotionally," said Cappy.
The 35-year-old Coach and native of the village of Argyle have been coaching since the age of 18. He later became a certified coach at age 25-years-old. His desire to coach was birthed after seeing so many young people in the community having nothing to do, so why not play football.
Although, Cappy doesn't appear to be physically fit for the game, one should not allow oneself to be fooled. His intense training sessions with the team at RSS shows his agility and dexterity. His skills were also showcased through his few goals scored during Roxborough police Youth Club's (PYC) night football league.
His time and commitment to football over the years has been spread across many different coaching organisations. Such organisations include, Theosobella, Youth Stars for nine years, Caribbean Football Union (CFU) where he worked alongside Tony Keith as assistant coach for two years. But it was in 2008 that he got his first head coach position at RSS where he martialed the female team from the zonal league to championship league.
He has remained at RSS despite the minor setback of the team at this time because he has no intention of giving up now.
Roxborough Secondary School has been a huge learning curve for Cappy and his footballers. It is one of the remarkable activities RSS should be known for. Over the years, he has developed a greater appreciation for coaching females. He would admit to the challenges of dealing with girls.
Challenges like his approach to them, their physical limitation and their emotional capacity. Regardless of the few short comings, he admires their commitment to learn and their love for the game.
"We coming back," said a player. "This year is a building year and time to train these junior females to regain our title." Although the sting of losing is still fresh for them, the RSS Female Football team is looking forward to greater things in the future.
It is Cappy's desire to make football a sport that young females are interested in. He also wants to make the school attractive to parents through the sport of football. Another goal of his, which he is presently working on, is to merge academics and football into an eye-catching package for players.
Roxborough Secondary School Female Football team maybe wounded but they are not totally broken. As they continue to rebuild and seek to tighten the laces of their tugs, they simply say "look for us next year."