Former national and youth Windies cricketer, Mark Bowers, is expressing delight following his induction into the Princess Margaret School (PMS) Hall of Fame during the body’s annual Sports Day activities held on Wednesday at the YSASCO Sports Complex.
The alumni, who represented the school in cricket, track and field and football, flew in from the USA to attend the ceremony where he was inducted by Principal, Dr. Collin Greene, in front of hundreds of current student, past students and spectators.
“I felt very humbled at first and I was like wow, my old school. It was a strange, warm and good feeling and those involved in making this happen, in taking the opportunity to recognize what I did at school, that meant a lot to me. I did everything at school maybe a year or two after but certainly, all that I did, it was done at PM school; in track, in football and in cricket,” he said.
Bowers, who also served as secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) between 1996 and 2000, commended Dr. Greene and the staff at PMS for putting on what he labelled an example for others to follow.
“I’ve often heard, for a number of years now, how Dr. Collin Greene has been leading at Princess Margaret School and I witnessed for myself, exactly what people have been saying for a number of years. I saw and operation last night [Wednesday] where Dr. Greene is the track announcer, Dr. Greene is the leader in terms of, he would see somebody across the field and she would be on the western side and see somebody on the eastern side, under the lights and can call their name out from a distance and sort that situation out. I think that what this young man is doing at Princess Margaret is out of this world,” he said.
Also inducted into the Hall of Fame is former national footballer and cricketer, Mervyn “MR” Richards and although he didn’t attend PMS, he made his mark as a football coach at the institution.
Richards said he was touched by the honour.
“When you do what you love a lot, you’re not doing it for any reward or award but when you see the people you would have touched and then then come and bring you back from the dead, I can say, and can nominate you or recommend that you get this or what not and I see them turn out to be good citizens I think that’s my reward and award. I was very humble and pleased to know that at least, somebody saw something in me,” he said.
The other inductees are Dave “Pinico” Gilead (football/track/basketball/cricket), Joycelyn Joseph McBride (track and field), Miguel Francis (track and field), Dr. Richard Engelhorn(coach), Kalique St. John (track and field), Kareem Edwards (track and field/basketball), Hayden Joseph, (track and field) and Robertine Bridgette Williams (netball/basketball).
