Sun | Dec 29, 2024

Rusea’s to get state-of-the-art changing room

Published:Tuesday | December 20, 2022 | 1:30 AMKavarly Arnold/Gleaner Writer
From left: Member of Parliament for Western Hanover Tameka Davis, Principal Donna Anderson, Vilma Miller, wife of the late Collin Miller and former teacher, President of Ruseas Brother-Sister Foundation Inc. , Troy ‘Bulla’ Malcolm and legendary coach E
Kavarly Arnold
From left: Member of Parliament for Western Hanover Tameka Davis, Principal Donna Anderson, Vilma Miller, wife of the late Collin Miller and former teacher, President of Ruseas Brother-Sister Foundation Inc. , Troy ‘Bulla’ Malcolm and legendary coach Emerson ‘Diggy’ Henry at last Saturday’s official ground breaking of the state-of-the-art changing room to be built at the Collin Miller Sports Complex in Lucea, Hanover.

Western Bureau:

Stakeholders at Rusea’s High School say they are ready to return to the summit of schoolboy football and high school sports locally after they broke ground for a state-of-the-art changing room facility at the Collin Miller Sports Complex in Lucea, Hanover.

Speaking at Saturday’s official ground-breaking ceremony, president of the Ruseas Brother-Sister Foundation, Troy ‘Bulla’ Malcolm, said the vision is to develop their home facility across the road from the school into a world-class one.

“Two years ago after one of our batchmates passed away, we came together and decided to adopt a project. Initially, it was the bathroom facility because currently there isn’t a restroom facility. However, the vision started to expand,” Malcolm said.

“I told all the members to search Google for an (English) Premier League or (Spanish) La Liga team’s changing room facility. We decided to build something like those changing room facilities. It will include a conference room and lounge area along with the areas for home and visiting teams,” he added.

Malcolm is hoping the projects that they have planned for the school will have a huge impact in raising the profile and enhancing the development of sports in the school and community.

“This is just the first project of many. We also want to build a male and female dorm for our second project. Then a paid membership gym for the community that will generate funds for the school is the third project. We are just two years old and already breaking ground. This shows the seriousness and intent of the foundation,” said Malcolm who also announced a building block drive where everyone associated with Rusea’s could contribute a single building block.

Principal Donna Anderson said she is looking towards a collaboration with all past students to make the initiative it a major success.

Legendary football coach Emerson ‘Diggy’ Henry, who led Rusea’s to multiple daCosta Cup and Ben Francis KO titles, said he is proud of the initiative that he believes will see his school get back to the pinnacle of schoolboy football.

“I am proud of the initiative and what it will do for Rusea’s. Although not pleased with where it will be because it’s encroaching on the practice field. We want to get back to toppling Clarendon College and regaining the daCosta Cup,” Henry said.

“It’s not only for football. If you want to recruit from afar, you need these sorts of facilities,” he added.

Rusea’s have won 15 schoolboy football senior titles including 11 daCosta Cups. They have also had recent successes in track and field winning four Western Championship girls’ titles in a row ending in 2019 and a top five placing at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships in 2019.