January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
All in the family
For the Hurdles, sons surpass dad
Derek, who has been both captain and coach of Bermuda rugby and coached Flatts cricket club, introduced his sons to sport from an early age.
His own greatest achievement was to score the winning try as Bermuda won the first ever Caribbean Championships in 1977.
But his lasting legacy to Bermuda sport is his sons, who he admits have gone on to surpass his achievements.
Kevin, 29, who played for Dandy Town at soccer and is now playing club cricket in England as well as leading Bermuda's bowling attack, said he owed much of his sporting talent to his upbringing and the support he had received from his parents.
"They had a big influence on us. They supported us with whatever sport we wanted to do. If they've missed ten percent of my games, my whole life, that's about it."
Kevin said his family had a long sporting pedigree with his Uncle Denton also playing rugby to a high standard. His great-great grandfather, Hugh Wilkins, was one of the first to take teams from the island to the West Indies to play cricket.
Even his great grandmother played cricket.
"It definitely comes from my family and my sporting heritage. For both me and my brother sports is in our blood."
Derek jnr, 34, who has played for the West Indies rugby sevens side and is still Bermuda's captain, agrees.
He said they were exposed to sport from an early age, when their parents would encourage them to play in their Cavendish Heights neighbourhood.
Bermuda national cricket team batsman Daniel Morgan and the football team's goalkeeper Timmy Figuerido used to play in the same pick-up games.
"We used to play sports growing up all the time. As soon as Kevin was old enough he joined in with everything — cricket, football, rugby, basketball.
"Kevin was probably the better all-round athlete. He was always the youngest competing with older kids."
In later life Kevin excelled in football and cricket while Derek was the star at basketball and rugby. He still trains with the national basketball team.
Derek snr, who gave his son his national rugby debut when he was coach of Bermuda and played alongside him for Teachers, said he had always been better at rugby than anything else.
"I'd played a bit of soccer and basketball, but I went to school in England and took to this strange game straight away."
He said his sons used to come with him to games when they were younger and play with the other kids watching on the side. Later it was the other way round.
"When Kevin was playing for Dandy Town we'd watch the first half of the rugby at north field and then get down to St. Johns for the second half of the football."
Now the family tradition is being passed on, with Derek jnr's son Tyler, three, already as enthusiastic about sports as the rest of his family.
Kevin added: "He loves anything to do with sport and he knows the difference between them. Throw him a soccer ball and he'll kick it, chuck him a rugby ball and he'll pick it up and try and pass it, give him a cricket ball and a bat and he knows what to do with that. It's in his blood, too."[[In-content Ad]]
Comments:
You must login to comment.