Wilbert Parkes was a ‘hero’ – Julian Robinson

MEMBER OF Parliament for South East St Andrew, Julian Robinson, said former Campion College cricket coach, Wilbert Parkes, who passed away on Thursday, was a ‘hero’ for the way he impacted so many lives in a positive way.

Robinson said generations of ‘Campionites’, some of whom have never met each other, poured out heartfelt sentiments for their former coach and educator, who passed after a long illness.

Robinson said Parkes’ influence on the young men of Campion through the sport he loved passionately, cricket, attributed to their success off the field and later on in life.

“It (Parkes’ passing) is very sad. He made a significant impact not only on me, but on generations of young men who came through Campion, and not just for sports, but in terms of building character,” he said.

“The kind of discipline and values he instilled are still important to our lives today and many of us attribute the success we have had in our lives to the kind of tutelage he provided us. So we are deeply indebted to him for the contribution he made over his entire life in giving to others, not just at Campion but in many other respects he supported and helped a lot of people. He lived a rich life, contributed to the development of a lot of people and influenced others in a positive way,” stated Robinson, a member of the successful Sunlight Cup, Colts and Under-14 cricket teams coached by Parkes.

In April, Campion College recognised Parkes’ contribution and renamed the school’s cricket playing field ‘The Wilbert Parkes Oval’ in his honour.

“I am happy we were able to recognise his contribution earlier this year before he passed. He was alive to see the appreciation many of us had for the work he did. He has left a significant mark, and when you think of the people who made a difference in others’ lives, he is a hero, an unheralded one, but somebody who touched so many people’s lives. He was a hero,” Robinson continued.

Parkes was an outstanding educator, coach, sporting official and journalist, writing for the now defunct Daily News, for more than three decades.

The educator joined Campion College in 1967 as a geography and integrated science teacher. In 1985, he was appointed as head of the Physical Education Department, a position he held until his retirement in 2000.

COACHING ACCOLADES

As coach, he led Campion College to winning their first Sunlight Cup (now Grace Shield) in 1987, and followed up that success with wins in 1988 and 2015. Under his tutelage, Campion College also won the Tappin Cup (limited overs) in 1989; as well as the Colts and Under-14 competitions.

He coached and produced players who represented Jamaica and West Indies at both youth and senior levels.

He also coached Jamaica’s senior women’s cricket team from 1999 to 2005.

In 2000, Parkes founded the New Berry Women’s Cricket team, which has won the Senior League title three times. He also did extensive work with the media, as a journalist writing for the Daily News.

Parkes led Campion College to their first senior cricket title, the ISSA Sunlight Cup (now the ISSA Grace Shield) in 1987, and followed that up with titles in 1989 and 2015.

At April’s ceremony, he was lauded by former players and school administrators for his contribution to the development of the school’s cricket programme and the role he played in building the character and discipline of those under his tutelage.

“For him, cricket was playing straight. And it became a mantra in life,” said Robinson. “So playing straight wasn’t just playing straight with the bat, it meant to do the right things, be disciplined and you’ll be successful and all those things are very applicable.”

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com