David Hunt

[Karl]

Former Under-17 coach dies


Former National Under-17 and Calabar High School's Manning Cup coach, David Hunt, was pronounced dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies yesterday, after collapsing at his home in Havendale, St. Andrew.

Just hours before his team, Calabar were scheduled to play Edith Dalton James in a crucial fixture, the coach was discovered unconscious on the bathroom floor of his residence by the team's manager.

Pronounced dead

Hunt was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Preliminary findings indicate that Hunt may have died from a heart attack. He was 51.


http://www.reggaeboyzsc.com/articles...203&category=1

[Karl]

David Hunt is dead

David Hunt is dead
Veteran coach remembered as a passionate man, fine human being

By Howard Walker Observer writer walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, October 27, 2007


Former national Under-17 football coach, David "Wagga" Hunt, died of an apparent heart attack after collapsing in his bathroom shortly after 10:00 yesterday morning at his Meadowbrook home. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

David Hunt in wild celebration after leading Calabar High School to the Manning Cup title back in 2005.

Hunt, 51, was at home with his brother Garth and wife Georgette along with his eight-month-old baby girl Amira when the incident occurred.

David's mother-in law, Mrs Williams, while cuddling baby Amira, told Sporting World that David had just finished playing with his daughter and decided to take a shower. Moments later when his cell phone rang out unanswered, his wife went to investigate and opened the door to the bathroom where she saw Hunt on the floor unconscious.

She alerted Garth, who rushed to the scene, and who in turn called another brother, Paul Hunt, a medical who resides in The Bahamas for advice, while Georgette called an ambulance.
"Yesterday was a hectic day for me workwise, but I would prefer to have 10 days like yesterday (Thursday) than like today (yesterday)," said Garth, shaking his head from side
to side.

The paramedics came and tried to revive David for approximately half an hour, but to no avail.

He was rushed to the UHWI where he was pronounced dead.
David Hunt was in the process of preparing his Manning Cup team, Calabar High, for battle against Edith Dalton-James and the signs were evident at his home with the Calabar T-shirts hanging over the chairs of his dining table and the shorts hanging on a grilled door in the house; signs that showed his life was centred totally around football.

Calabar players emerging from the physical education room where they were counselled after hearing the news of their coach's death.

That game was postponed until today by the Inter Secondary Schools' Sports Association (ISSA), which was mourning the loss of someone close to the organisation and who was responsible for publishing the annual Champs magazine.

George Forbes, ISSA's competitions officer, said David's death would be a big blow to ISSA and football.
"We at ISSA are saddened by the death of David Hunt. He was a fine human being, a very unassuming person who had a passion for football and life in general. You couldn't want to find a nicer human being. We are going to lose his expertise especially when it comes to the Champs magazine. what can I say, life must go on but I am saddened."

At Calabar High School, where he coached, the mood was sombre and the students were devastated, unsettled and shocked, especially the football players who had to be consoled by teachers and councillors.

Dr Japheth Ford, the school's doctor, said "the boys are taking it very hard, they are in a state of denial and depression, but hopefully with counselling, in the next couple of days, they will be alright".

Football gears for the Calabar High School to play in Manning Cup laid out on the dining room table and chairs inside David Hunt's home in preparation for a game yesterday. (Photos: Bryan Cummings)

"I recommended that they should not play this afternoon, then I will look at them in another two days and see what is happening," said Dr Ford.
The players were in the physical education room where they were given counselling, while still trying to recover from the shock of someone who is not only a coach, but also a father figure.

Hunt, a Kingston College old boy, has been associated with football for a long time and, with almost 30 years' experience, can be classified as a veteran local coach.

Hunt was mainly responsible for reviving football at Calabar where he led them to their first title in 28 years in 2005, after just two years in charge. That year they also won their first Olivier Shield title.

He had reached the Manning Cup final in 2004 and lost to the outstanding Leebert Halliman-coached Excelsior.

His outstanding achievements in youth football saw him being elevated to the position of national coach of the Under-17 team, but he resigned after the team hosted the final group World Cup qualifiers and failed to advance in June 2007.

Jamaica defeated Mexico, the then world champion at that level in a practice game. They then created history by beating the USA team for the first time at any level, before coming within one game of qualifying for the World Cup in South Korea, but lost 0-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in the final group match.

Burchell Gibson, general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), said his organisation mourns with the entire country the untimely death of Hunt.
Said Gibson: "Hunt was well known and respected as one of Jamaica's leading youth coaches. The JFF expresses its profound sympathies to his spouse Georgette and the rest of his family and friends."

David Hunt's former National Under-17 assistant coach, Alrick Clarke, who is the coach of Norman Manley, and also Hunt's assistant at Super league club Meadhaven United, was in shock and was depressed.

"I am very, very down because last night we spoke and he said 'coach good luck', then to learn of his passing this morning grieves me. I don't even know how I can work it out for now," Clarke said.

"It's over 20 years I know him and it really puts a damper on me. The contribution he made to my life... it is really a telling blow," added Clarke.
Hunt is credited with nurturing a lot of Jamaica's young footballers, molding them into the core of what is today's national junior teams.
"He was like a role model not only in football but as a human being, a man," Clarke added.

Hunt, who attended KC from 1967 to 1974, did not represent his school in the Manning Cup, but was an outstanding chess player who captained KC from 1972-74. Later as a national player he represented Jamaica at the Chess Olympiad in Venezuela in 1976.

He became assistant coach to the legendary George Thompson of Kingston College in 1981-82 and took control of the team for the 1983 season.

He is a founding member, president and technical director of the Meadhaven United Football Club and at the time of death was the general secretary of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA). Hunt is also a former general secretary of the Minor League Football Association.

Meadhaven had a successful year winning the KSAFA Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 titles. They also reached the Major League final where they were beaten on penalties by Police National.

Hunt is a highly qualified professional. The holder of a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA), with emphasis on marketing. He has attended several courses in football administration and coaching since 1978.

His first was a FIFA Coca-Cola World Development Programme Administration course held in Kingston in 1978.

Among the numerous other courses he attended was a one-month Organisation of American States (OAS) Mexican Olympic Solidarity training course in Mexico City in 1984.

In mid-1993, Hunt also completed the highly-regarded English FA International Coaching Preliminary Award coaching course. Earlier this year he attended the KNVB Academy international coaching course in the Netherlands and a month later did the National Soccer Coaches of America Youth Diploma Course in Kingston.