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Former footballers pushing to restore Green Pond’s glory
March 24, 2025
WESTERN BUREAU:
Despite the stigma of violence that has robbed their community of the vibrancy of years past, former Defenders Football Club players Hector 'Baba' Hill and Michael Grant desperately want to see their Green Pond, St James, community return to its former glory.
Last Saturday, the duo who currently reside in the United States were back in the community staging a 'Bring back the love Harmony' fun day, which featured a football match and an after-match get-together at the community square, Capital Heights.
"When we were growing up, Green Pond was a community of peace and love, where residents got along well and we were all proud to say 'we are from Green Pond'," said Hill, who was a rugged defender in the Defenders FC backline.
"While we no longer live here, we visit from time to time ... we want back the Green Pond minus the things dem (violence) which sometimes give the community and Jamaica a bad name."
In the 1980s, Green Pond was known as a football community, churning out top players such as Wadadah FC's dynamic midfielder Donovan 'Lagga Pipe' Coke, and Fabian 'Pirate' Lawrence - arguably Jamaica's most decorated schoolboy footballer based on the number of titles he won while representing the all-conquering Rusea's daCosta Cup teams of the mid-1980s.
"Our plan is to resurrect Defenders FC and make Green Pond a football-loving community again," said Grant. "We are looking at putting together a Masters (over 35) team to play in the Western Masters League, and a team to player in the St James domestic league.
"While we are not looking for overnight success, we just want to start a football programme and take it from there."
The football match, which saw the Defenders FC Masters going up against a selected team of youngsters from the community, turned out to be quite a spectacle as while many of the masters confessed to not playing for more than a decade, they surprised the youngsters, handing them an 8-0 defeat.
"You can't talk inna de house tonight," a father, who was on the winning team, was overheard telling his son, who was on the losing team. "What unno get today was a free football lesson and I hope unno learn well."
Markcaine Gooden (three goals), Marlon Trout (two), Louis Sang (two) and Rico Johnson were the goalscorers. Some of the other members on the Masters team were Hill, Richard Bryan and Neville Campbell, who represented Seba United in the 1970s.
In the after-match get-together, Hill and Grant presented the community with playing gear - jerseys, socks and football boots; and footballs to facilitate their participation in the targeted competition.
Senator Janice Allen, the People's National Party's (PNP) candidate for St James Central, where Green Pond is located, praised Hill and Grant for the initiative, saying their action speaks to their love for the community.
"This is impressive and I must commend them (Hill and and Grant). While they don't live here they are still showing they want the best for their community," said Allen. "This is something I would personally encourage in other communities."
