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  4. Football returns to Mayaro Resource Centre

Football returns to Mayaro Resource Centre

Release date:
6 December 2024
          

With the passionate support of the Mayaro community last Saturday, a dominant MaGuaya United dressed in a resplendent yellow kit, scored three goals to defeat the East Side Strikers, in an under-18 fixture that marked the official re-launch of the newly refurbished sporting and training facilities at the Mayaro Resource Centre (MRC). 


Dropping in to witness the game and examine the refurbished MRC was former West Indies fast bowler, Mervyn Dillion, who is currently doing development work with the Mayaro-based Newlands Warriors Cricket Team. 


According to Dillion, “I come from a rural community myself, so I know exactly what a facility like this means, especially to young people. Sporting excellence is only achieved through long-term and sustained dedication and support. That is something that I passionately believe in, and I know that bpTT shares my vision – they have supported local and national sporting development for the past two decades. I look forward to seeing the talent that this facility will help to find and develop in the years to come.”


Maintained by bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT), the energy company officially opened the MRC to the public 20 years ago. Prior to being available to the public, the facility was a members-only sports club that was available to AMOCO staff and in making it available to the public, it has become a hub for sport and community development activities. 


Leading up to this recent re-launch, the facility underwent an extensive TTD $5m upgrade that took five years to complete. The works include upgraded utilities, air conditioning system, drainage system, re-turfing of the playing field, complete renovation of the swimming pool and re-surfacing of the tennis and basketball courts. 


The MRC is now the home to first-class facilities for football, track and field, swimming, basketball and tennis, with an onsite gym as well as training classrooms that have integrated technology such as a SMART Board and audio-visual equipment.


Sharing remarks at the launch event was bpTT’s President, David Campbell, who has a background in sports, having himself been a youth footballer in North Scotland.


“Part of bpTT’s mission in Trinidad and Tobago is to find and develop local resources, and this investment if no different. The most precious resource this nation has is its young people, and we expect that the Mayaro Resource centre will be pivotal in developing the enormous sporting potential here. If the youth are this community’s lifeblood, then the MRC functions as the heart of Mayaro. With their rich sporting legacy, we expect that future national and international sporting stars will find their start right here. I know that at bpTT, and across the community, we are all excited to witness the next generation of sporting stars,” Campbell stated.     

 

Following the formal aspect of the re-launch ceremony, that also featured remarks from Giselle Thompson, VP Corporate Operations, and Ryan Chaitram, Communications and External Affairs Manager, of the bpTT leadership team, the guests took seats in the refurbished stands to witness the exciting exhibition game.


Sharing her expertise as assistant coach for the MaGuaya team, was local talent and member of the Trinidad and Tobago Women's National Football Team, Chrissy Mitchell. She explained that facilities like the MRC these were necessary for the sustainability of sport as well as for guiding young people in a positive direction. 


Scoring a brace of goals to propel MaGuaya United to a 3-1 victory, was an elated Sherwin Saitoo, who also plays for the neighbouring Mayaro Secondary School. “It feels great to win, and this a terrific facility, with an excellent surface to play football on. My plan is to get a sporting scholarship to study in the US, and I believe that the MRC can play a critical role in helping me to train towards achieving that goal. I think this is a gift to all the young people of Mayaro and surrounding areas. All that we can do to say thanks to bpTT is use these facilities to help achieve our best,” Saitoo explained.