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THE DANIEL ENGLAND STORY - Little Warrior finds comfort in a different world
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
DANIEL ENGLAND. The name evokes memories of invincibility, domination and history in the making.
He was a high school track legend while competing for Calabar High between 1986 and 1990.
Short in stature but big in heart, England had track fans and pundits in awe of his amazing talent. With a combination of innate ability and determination, England had a magnetic effect on track and field fans.
"Daniel alone could fill the stands at the National Stadium," says friend and schoolmate Richard Williams.
"Thirty-thousand people would fill the stadium just to see Daniel. There was a buzz in the stadium whenever he came on the track. People would be talking about him in the stands and just waiting to see him run."
According to Williams, England was more celebrated than junior world record holder Usain Bolt, who is no stranger to adoring fans and media frenzy.
England carried the pride of Calabar for four years helping them to three Boys' Championship titles (1988, 89, 90). He was a man among boys in the 200 and 400 metres and anchored his team to victory in the relay events.
Over four years of competing, England had an impeccable success rate, losing only once. He was also Jamaica's first junior athlete to be ranked on the world list, placing eighth in the 400 metres in 1988.
John Messam, chairman of Calabar's Sports Committee, was assistant coach to Herb McKenley while England was at Calabar. He says England possessed a special and rare talent.
"He more than any quarter-miler reminded me of Herb McKenley in his prime," says Messam. "Although he was much smaller he was similar to Herb and they had a special relationship. Herb inspired him."
Reflecting on the impact England had on fans, Messam said: "Everyone would chant 'England, England'. It wasn't just Calabar fans, it was the whole stadium. He had the same type of impact as a Trevor Campbell where people would just rally behind him."
NEXT BIG SPRINTER
The stage was set for England to become Jamaica's next big sprinter, but that never happened.
In 1992 while attending college in the United States, England couldn't find the US$700 he needed for his airfare to attend the National Championships. That marked the beginning of England fading into obscurity.
Like so many outstanding high school athletes such as Rudolph Mighty of Jamaica College and Wainsworth Small of Kingston College, England slowly faded from the nation's track memory.
However, his impact was so profound the question always lingered, 'What ever happened to Daniel England?'
England, 34, recently visited the island, his first trip since 1992, to bury his father, Edward.
Except for packing on a few pounds, "The Little Warrior", as he was called, looked pretty much the same. He now lives in the U.S. state of Arizona with his wife and two daughters and works in the banking sector.
Unlike many persons who expressed disappointment at him not making a career in track and field, England seems content with the route his life has taken.
"I made a decision to pursue my education instead of a track career," England says.
"I wasn't able to give 100 per cent to both track and school so I made my decision."
However, England's story is not that plain.
His character and mettle were tested and tried when he left Jamaica as an unexposed 19-year-old in 1990 to attend Central Arizona College.
CULTURE SHOCK
"I had a culture shock," says England. "I wasn't prepared for the American lifestyle and I didn't have a lot of guidance over there.
"When I went there I thought all I would have to do was run and study. But it wasn't like that. When I reached there I found out my scholarship wouldn't cover all of my tuition so I had to work to pay the rest of it.
"During the holidays I was homeless because I couldn't stay on the dorm and I had no relatives in the US."
With the sudden changes in lifestyle he experienced, England admits he crumbled under the pressure.
"I was just overwhelmed by all the responsibilities and changes at my age," he says.
"While at Calabar I was just focused on track - it was priority. But in the US track was third on the list of priorities. School work was first because I had to maintain my G.P.A. My job was second because all my tuition had to be paid to stay in school and then there was track."
ONLY LOSS
For England it started and ended with track. He remembers the drums and roars echoing from fans in the stands as he sat in his blocks. He also clearly remembers the only race he lost at the annual High Schools' Championships.
Donovan Powell, brother of Asafa, handed England his only loss in the Class One 200 metres final in 1990.
"I was so shocked," England says. "He caught me in the last 15 metres and I just lost my concentration and couldn't recover.
"You could drop a pin in the stadium and hear the echo," Williams says, "Women and children cried when he lost." (I was there and it took about a minute before stadium realised that he had lost. Tears came to my eyes. I was sitting beside my good St. Jago bredrin and I remember feeling a lump in my throat as I fought back the tears, and listen to his gloating)
England says the loss had psychological effects on him because he had never experienced such disappointment in front of such a large audience.
In a bitter, truthful way, England's loss to Powell was a precursor to what he would face a year later in America - he would have to learn how to cope out of his comfort zone.
MOTIVATIONAL TALK
On Thursday, January 5, England gave a motivational talk to Calabar's track team at the school. P-R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N. That was England's theme. An acronym for preparing to be successful in sports and life.
England is hoping at least one of the 60 boys in attendance will be better prepared to deal with life if he is placed in a similar position as he was.
"My speech was to help them realise that they need to be prepared. Track is a different world. I have to let them know that not all of them will make it professionally and not all of them will get a scholarship. So they have to have a plan of what they will do if track doesn't work out.
"My perspectives changed over the years. Two years into college I realised track wasn't for me. I decided to pursue my education instead of a track career. It was tough to give up something that I loved so much but I decided I had to get that paper (degree)."
England left an indelible mark on Jamaica's rich track history as a junior in the late 80s. These days he attends basketball and football games with his daughters Keisha, 8, and Aliyah, 4, and the only work-out he gets is on the golf course "and I go jogging as soon as I start putting on too much weight".
CALABAR FLAG
Since England, several athletes have gone on the professional scene carrying the Calabar flag. Maurice Wignall and Dwight Thomas are two such athletes.
Nonetheless, England's impact on all who knew him and saw him run was obvious. During his visit to Calabar a number of past students stopped by to see "the great man".
One man said: "Mi nah go work today 'cause mi haffi si England."
They came, they shook his hand, rubbed his head and hugged him. His feats on the track clearly transcended sports in its simplest form. It meant brotherhood, a source of pride and life itself.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060110/sports/sports1.html
THE DANIEL ENGLAND STORY - Little Warrior finds comfort in a different world
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
DANIEL ENGLAND. The name evokes memories of invincibility, domination and history in the making.
He was a high school track legend while competing for Calabar High between 1986 and 1990.
Short in stature but big in heart, England had track fans and pundits in awe of his amazing talent. With a combination of innate ability and determination, England had a magnetic effect on track and field fans.
"Daniel alone could fill the stands at the National Stadium," says friend and schoolmate Richard Williams.
"Thirty-thousand people would fill the stadium just to see Daniel. There was a buzz in the stadium whenever he came on the track. People would be talking about him in the stands and just waiting to see him run."
According to Williams, England was more celebrated than junior world record holder Usain Bolt, who is no stranger to adoring fans and media frenzy.
England carried the pride of Calabar for four years helping them to three Boys' Championship titles (1988, 89, 90). He was a man among boys in the 200 and 400 metres and anchored his team to victory in the relay events.
Over four years of competing, England had an impeccable success rate, losing only once. He was also Jamaica's first junior athlete to be ranked on the world list, placing eighth in the 400 metres in 1988.
John Messam, chairman of Calabar's Sports Committee, was assistant coach to Herb McKenley while England was at Calabar. He says England possessed a special and rare talent.
"He more than any quarter-miler reminded me of Herb McKenley in his prime," says Messam. "Although he was much smaller he was similar to Herb and they had a special relationship. Herb inspired him."
Reflecting on the impact England had on fans, Messam said: "Everyone would chant 'England, England'. It wasn't just Calabar fans, it was the whole stadium. He had the same type of impact as a Trevor Campbell where people would just rally behind him."
NEXT BIG SPRINTER
The stage was set for England to become Jamaica's next big sprinter, but that never happened.
In 1992 while attending college in the United States, England couldn't find the US$700 he needed for his airfare to attend the National Championships. That marked the beginning of England fading into obscurity.
Like so many outstanding high school athletes such as Rudolph Mighty of Jamaica College and Wainsworth Small of Kingston College, England slowly faded from the nation's track memory.
However, his impact was so profound the question always lingered, 'What ever happened to Daniel England?'
England, 34, recently visited the island, his first trip since 1992, to bury his father, Edward.
Except for packing on a few pounds, "The Little Warrior", as he was called, looked pretty much the same. He now lives in the U.S. state of Arizona with his wife and two daughters and works in the banking sector.
Unlike many persons who expressed disappointment at him not making a career in track and field, England seems content with the route his life has taken.
"I made a decision to pursue my education instead of a track career," England says.
"I wasn't able to give 100 per cent to both track and school so I made my decision."
However, England's story is not that plain.
His character and mettle were tested and tried when he left Jamaica as an unexposed 19-year-old in 1990 to attend Central Arizona College.
CULTURE SHOCK
"I had a culture shock," says England. "I wasn't prepared for the American lifestyle and I didn't have a lot of guidance over there.
"When I went there I thought all I would have to do was run and study. But it wasn't like that. When I reached there I found out my scholarship wouldn't cover all of my tuition so I had to work to pay the rest of it.
"During the holidays I was homeless because I couldn't stay on the dorm and I had no relatives in the US."
With the sudden changes in lifestyle he experienced, England admits he crumbled under the pressure.
"I was just overwhelmed by all the responsibilities and changes at my age," he says.
"While at Calabar I was just focused on track - it was priority. But in the US track was third on the list of priorities. School work was first because I had to maintain my G.P.A. My job was second because all my tuition had to be paid to stay in school and then there was track."
ONLY LOSS
For England it started and ended with track. He remembers the drums and roars echoing from fans in the stands as he sat in his blocks. He also clearly remembers the only race he lost at the annual High Schools' Championships.
Donovan Powell, brother of Asafa, handed England his only loss in the Class One 200 metres final in 1990.
"I was so shocked," England says. "He caught me in the last 15 metres and I just lost my concentration and couldn't recover.
"You could drop a pin in the stadium and hear the echo," Williams says, "Women and children cried when he lost." (I was there and it took about a minute before stadium realised that he had lost. Tears came to my eyes. I was sitting beside my good St. Jago bredrin and I remember feeling a lump in my throat as I fought back the tears, and listen to his gloating)
England says the loss had psychological effects on him because he had never experienced such disappointment in front of such a large audience.
In a bitter, truthful way, England's loss to Powell was a precursor to what he would face a year later in America - he would have to learn how to cope out of his comfort zone.
MOTIVATIONAL TALK
On Thursday, January 5, England gave a motivational talk to Calabar's track team at the school. P-R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N. That was England's theme. An acronym for preparing to be successful in sports and life.
England is hoping at least one of the 60 boys in attendance will be better prepared to deal with life if he is placed in a similar position as he was.
"My speech was to help them realise that they need to be prepared. Track is a different world. I have to let them know that not all of them will make it professionally and not all of them will get a scholarship. So they have to have a plan of what they will do if track doesn't work out.
"My perspectives changed over the years. Two years into college I realised track wasn't for me. I decided to pursue my education instead of a track career. It was tough to give up something that I loved so much but I decided I had to get that paper (degree)."
England left an indelible mark on Jamaica's rich track history as a junior in the late 80s. These days he attends basketball and football games with his daughters Keisha, 8, and Aliyah, 4, and the only work-out he gets is on the golf course "and I go jogging as soon as I start putting on too much weight".
CALABAR FLAG
Since England, several athletes have gone on the professional scene carrying the Calabar flag. Maurice Wignall and Dwight Thomas are two such athletes.
Nonetheless, England's impact on all who knew him and saw him run was obvious. During his visit to Calabar a number of past students stopped by to see "the great man".
One man said: "Mi nah go work today 'cause mi haffi si England."
They came, they shook his hand, rubbed his head and hugged him. His feats on the track clearly transcended sports in its simplest form. It meant brotherhood, a source of pride and life itself.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060110/sports/sports1.html
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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