Julian J. Robinson on Campion - copied from his facebook

[Time]

Please note that I copied this from my friend Julian facebook account not a newspaper therefore I believe it is ok to post the entire letter.

There are a number of points I wish to make in relation to the debate around balancing academic excellence and sporting success. Firstly, the successes that Campion achieved in cricket have all been done without any compromise in academic standards, special arrangements for student/athletes or any need to “recruit” players from other schools.




Julian Jay Robinson

19 mins · Kingston, Jamaica ·

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Dear Editor,
I am grateful to Dr Lascelve 'Muggy' Graham for his article in the Observer of March 30, 2015 highlighting the success of Campion College in winning the 2015 corporate area Grace Shield for cricket.

Campion College today is well known for its success in producing students of outstanding academic standards but less so for its achievements in the traditional sports such as football and cricket. However the school has a very rich tradition of success in cricket which I wish to highlight in the table below.

Campion College’s Championship Wins in Cricket

YEAR CHAMPIONSHIPS
1979 Under 14 Jackie Hendricks Cup

1983 Under 16 Colts Cup

1984 Under 14 Jackie Hendricks Cup

1985 Under 16 Colts Cup
Under 14 Jackie Hendricks Cup

1986 Under 16 Colts Cup

1987 Under 19 Sunlight Cup
Under 14 Jackie Hendricks Cup

1988 Under 19 Sunlight Cup
Under 16 Colts Cup
Under 14 Jackie Hendricks Cup

1989 Tappin Cup KO Cup
Under 16 Colts Cup

1990 Under 16 Colts Cup
All Island Under 16 Colts Cup

1993 Under 16 Colts Cup

2009 A-League Cup (Sunlight B )

2015 Grace Shield (Similar to the Sunlight Cup)

There are a number of points I wish to make in relation to the debate around balancing academic excellence and sporting success. Firstly, the successes that Campion achieved in cricket have all been done without any compromise in academic standards, special arrangements for student/athletes or any need to “recruit” players from other schools.

Secondly, in highlighting the relatively young average age of the players who played on winning U19 teams, (7 of the 11 players on the 1987 and 1988 victorious Sunlight Cup teams were under 16) this demonstrates the importance of exposing and developing student/athletes from an early stage to competition and building and nurturing that talent. This shows that a deliberate policy of developing young talent can lead to success at the senior levels without the need for “recruiting” outside talent. In 1988, Campion won all the corporate area cricket trophies.

The third point I wish to make is the important role that a coach plays, in building and developing a program around which success can be achieved. Without a doubt, Campion had outstanding individual players, but the person who held the cricket program together at the school for over 30 years, deserves most of the credit for the school’s success. That person is Mr. Wilbert Parkes.

Finally, I wish to highlight a little known fact. In 1989, Carlton Carter Jr at age 16 became the youngest player ever to represent Jamaica at the senior level in cricket, when he played for Jamaica against the visiting English Test cricket team. That same year he captained Campion to victory in the Under 16 Colts Cup. He is also responsible for arguably the greatest all round performance by a school boy in cricket. In the 1988 Sunlight Cup finals against St. Jago, he made 125 no and shared in a record 109 partnership for the last wicket, of which his batting partner made only 9. He came back and took 9-46 with his leg spin. An outstanding footballer as well, Carter took up a football scholarship to St. John’s University in New York, effectively ending his promising cricket career.

Sincerely,

Julian J. Robinson
I represented Campion College in both football and cricket at all levels from 1983 – 1990.

[Gamma]

any questions?

[Assasin]

How long did it take to do this?

How many other sports they can compete in?

Campion is Campion and big them up but don't be fooled thinking they can consistently provide top athletes across the board.

[Gamma]

we are not that inconsistent either .. cho man.

[Me]

Congrats to them. One of the few school not running down recruits. Have had a strong history in cricket as well as some of the minor sports.

[Time]

Yes! In your opinion, why is Campion able to do well in Cricket but not football?

[Assasin]

True but it can't be the poster school for Muggy's template for people not to transfer to or from.

[Gamma]

we used to do well at pepsi and to a lesser extent colts then there was a drop off for manning cup. part of the reason is of course that we persist with the same players throughout without "upgrading" the players and so it tells in the end.

most of our players at the manning cup level were not really playing club football outside of playing for the school as football was viewed strictly as extra-curricular.

schools do not really buy cricketers the way the do track and field and football ... hence parity is maintained.

[Gamma]

i was not focussing on that narrative here ..... merely that we acheive outside of the classsroom.

[Assasin]

ok, understand, enjoy it, when the shine come off we will talk about the irony as it relates to their stance.

[Assasin]

"schools do not really buy cricketers the way the do track and field and football ... hence parity is maintained."

I will inject "some"

[Mosiah]

schools do not really buy cricketers the way the do track and field and football ... hence parity is maintained.

And in a programming note, MC also got to the finals of their cricket competition but was unable to effectively compete against eventual winners STETHS, who are infamous for its recruiting habits.

[Mosiah]

I am 100% positive that Campionites are extremely proud of their school's achievements in the classroom and out, and would never lower their standards to win Champs or Manning Cup.

Let those schools who believe it's their duty to produce the next Bolt and Shelley-Ann continue with their mission.

[Time]

we used to do well at pepsi and to a lesser extent colts then there was a drop off for manning cup. part of the reason is of course that we persist with the same players throughout without "upgrading" the players and so it tells in the end.

most of our players at the manning cup level were not really playing club football outside of playing for the school as football was viewed strictly as extra-curricular.

schools do not really buy cricketers the way the do track and field and football ... hence parity is maintained.

Do the results show parity in cricket championships across traditional corporate area high schools or does it show dominance by two schools?

I am thinking that cricket is more of a rich man game than football and that is a major factor.

[Gamma]

not sure i agree with you ... most of the cricketers who represent jamaica cannot be accused of coming from a background of privilege. campion's cricketers for the most part considered cricket as extra-curricular (as they should) and aspired to be non sporting professionals.