The Kremandala Lake Football Team finished its debut semi-pro season almost dead last, it came in at seventh place out of eight teams. So what do you do when you are ranked near the bottom? Well in Lake I, where football is more than just a game, it is a way of life, quitting was not an option. This Sunday the Kremandala Football Club will return with a new starting lineup, new leadership, and a new game plan. The revamped team is managed by Leroy "Tambran" Young and led by Captain Mark "Kello" Leslie who has more ten years playing experience. Ahead of Sunday's season opener at the MCC Garden, Keith Swift caught with the manager and a couple players.
Leroy "Tambran" Young, Team Manager
"This year we have brought a better team. We brought players from the district like Stann Creek, San Ignacio, and players from the city itself so we should have a better team this year. What makes the team stand out is its different talents, we are putting all the talents together. You would call it a cultural fusion, we integrate all the talents together to make it one big product."
Mark "Kello" Leslie, Team Captain
"Basically I'll be playing the midfield position and I will also be captain of this team. I will try to do my best to take this team to a finals because for the past years the city teams haven't reached the finals."
Keith Swift,
Why does playing on this team mean so much to you guys?
Mark "Kello" Leslie,
"Well football is very important to us because that is our job. For a young man like me I do not really work so I take football as my job, football is everything for me so I dedicate myself to football. I think football is very important in this community because of all the violence that is happening, I think football is a way out."
David "Manu" McCauley, Striker
"Football to me is my life, my whole family is into football. With our team, and the Krem organization put together, it is a set of players that we know that come Sunday, we will do them things."
Dean "Pussy" Flowers, Team Member
"Last year we had a good team but this year we have a better team because everybody can play together and I feel that it will be a more better game. Football is like your life.
Sunday's season opener will pit the Kremandala boys against the Hankook Verdes. The showdown is on Sunday at 4 at the MCC Garden.
