“One of the things that I think will always keep a child away from crime and maybe doing other wrong things is definitely sports, sports on the whole not just football per se, sport on the whole is a very good outlet.”
These are the words of 61-year-old Ivor Cumberbatch who for the past few years has been dedicating five days a week to coaching children in football at the Aranguez Savannah.
With more than 25 years of experience coaching football under his belt, Cumberbatch sees sport as a safety net for young people. However, he stressed that a firm hand is necessary to ensure they are pushed in the right direction, and it starts at home.
“I think parenting has a serious issue, that’s a serious issue. If the parenting is not well, then we are in trouble,” said Cumberbatch who reiterated the need for control in children’s lives.
“One of the things I always make sure and do, and I think the parents love me for that, I am tough on these kids. Once they come by me, they know they have to toe the line, so the discipline aspect, first and foremost.”
He maintained that if his students don’t display the proper comportment and attitude towards progressing, they will become stagnant in their craft.
“If I sell skill without discipline, it is no skill at all. So if you don’t have discipline, then you’ll never know how good you could be. Anywhere you go when you start to move to the next level without that discipline, then everything is thrown out the door unless you’re accepting mediocrity,” he said.
Cumberbatch developed his love for football during his school days. He took part in Intercol and continued playing after school.
He eventually started to coach and established a coaching club, Youth Development Football.
He explained: “Since the COVID, I have my own thing going on and it started off simply with one little boy who wanted some personal sessions and I started to do it with them and then eventually it just grew. People heard about me, and they just kept coming you know.”
What continues to motivate Cumberbatch as an instructor is the progress he sees in the youngsters who call him coach.
“No words can explain, I am telling you, no words. The accolades, the kudos, the seeing the children being better than when they came, these are the things that motivate me to keep coming because that’s the joy the love and emotion I have for the game itself,” he said.
“And seeing a little one come from one to five, to me that is it for me, that is it for me.”
Cumberbatch said some trainees don’t return after the first day, but knowing he gave his all helps him to persist with coaching.
“I am so involved in the game that I think no one can describe the feeling I get from coming out here to coach again,” he said.
He admitted that some of his young charges see football simply as a game although for others it has the potential to be life-changing.
“Generally speaking, I would say about 60 to 70 per cent feel they could go on to another level, feel they could really be a professional footballer,” he said.
“Right now, there’s a lot of opportunities, not like back in the day, so many opportunities, scholarship opportunities, football opportunities, and it have competitions all about, you know, so I think it is one of the ways to get them away from being idle and being occupied.”
Cumberbatch currently coaches around 50 youngsters between the ages of 4-18. He said he always tries to show the bigger picture, allowing them to have a goal in mind which may keep them away from a life of lawlessness.
“What I do is nurture them and also, I coach in kind of a holistic way, it’s not just about the football per se, I always try to show them football equated to life, so it’s like life skills I almost teaching.
“Even though you come to play football, you’re learning life skills, which will turn them away eventually from the crime life or the criminal activity, or the so-called wrongdoing,” Cumberbatch said.
“Then the love, I think most of them it’s a natural love for the sport. You know, football is a popular sport all over the world. So I think that is one of the things that does have them out here.”
While football has gained mainstream popularity over the years, Cumberbatch said there is a need for nationals who have excelled in the field to contribute more to young people and make their presence felt.
“I think they need to do a little more in the communities as like what you all in here, I think it’s so important for these guys to come back and give back to the community,” he said.
People who are successful in sports can motivate children to be interested in making it a career, encouraging more young men and women to actively pursue football.
“I think guys have to hold themselves more responsible in being a mentor,” he said.