Wellington banking on ‘more talented’
The principal of ISSA/FLOW Super Cup finalists St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), Keith Wellington, believes that rural area players are more talented than their urban counterparts, whom he conceded may be more experienced.
He said that this experience comes from youth players in the urban area getting to play competitive football at an early age, which puts them at what he describes as an advantage. However, Wellington said that with the substantial investment STETHS has made in these players, they can maximise their potential.
“The truth is that it’s a lot more complex than what people would want to make it out. At the end of the day, it comes down to the results when these teams play each other as I don’t think either competition is much different from the other. What is evident is that the urban teams have an advantage in terms of the experience that they would have gathered in the various competitions that are played year round,” said Wellington.
STETHS has been the most consistent rural area team in the Super Cup, making it to three out of four semi-finals since its inception in 2014. Wellington believes that the investment in his students has gone a far way, not just on the field, but the life lessons they would have learnt as well as the opportunities a number of them would have gotten to study abroad.
“Our investment is in the students who play sports - helping them to maximise their potential and make use of the opportunities available to them. I think the investment we placed in them we would have gotten good returns and I think the students succeeding in their general life is just as important,” he said.
Wellington added that he expects a good game between the two teams, which many expected to meet in next month’s ISSA/FLOW Olivier Shield.
“It now becomes even more significant now that it’s the only trophy we can win this year at the U-19 level. Bearing in mind that no daCosta Cup team has ever won the Super Cup, it’s added significance as it would be history accomplished,” said Wellington.