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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
Movie on 2013-10-26 at 16.41 from Robbin Whachell on Vimeo.
Coach Donnie Knowles,
has been honoured for his contribution to sports in The Bahamas by the
Kamalamee
organization. Although I could not be at the honouring
event at the Regency Theatre on October 27th, I was asked to provide remarks, and this
video presentation seen above of same.
I met Donnie and Mary Knowles the first year I moved to Grand Bahama in
1998. I fulfilled a life-long dream of playing soccer when I joined his
team The Predators in the Grand Bahama Football League, which sadly, no
longer exists. The Predators were undefeated in the GBFL and Knowles
took them to 5 national championships.
What was his recipe for success?
Well some say it’s because he always had the best players, but in
actual fact - it’s because he has always been, the best coach. He is
strong in his disciplinary actions, but always wields a loving approach,
and his girls feel it and respect him for it.
One night after a
soccer meeting, Donnie shared with me his vision of starting a girls’
league. Mary was teaching school by day and studying by night to
further her degree; so I offered to help him get started on that dream.
We formed the Coca-Cola Crushers and for the first time the GBFL had an
All-Youth girls’ team. Donnie worked hard coaching 2 teams in tandem.
And if that wasn’t enough, he was also playing in the men’s league, and
leading the GBFL.
“Behind every great man, is a great woman.” As
soon as Mary completed her studies, the Grand Bahama Girls’ Soccer
Developmental League was born. The love and skills he had instilled in
his players, came back in spades when many of us joined to coach in the
new league. Those were humble beginnings and Donnie still coached at
the YMCA programme that first year. I used to call it ‘Soccer
Saturdays’ - Predators were at the field for 7am shooting practice,
coached morning at the Y, shoved down lunch, and then rush over to the
Girls’ program for the afternoon.
Today his girls program boasts
almost 300 players and 5 divisions. After 11 years, if you pass by the
Freeport Rugby Football Club on Saturday mornings, you'll still see
Donnie Knowles, busy setting up over 10 fields for his Grand Bahama
Girls' Soccer League
But before he became the Coach Donnie that we know today, in his youth,
Donnie was the soccer team captain at Aquinas Boys College; he played in
3 Bahamas Games for Grand Bahama Island; he was a Bahamas National Team
player; and he even got a taste of the pro leagues in Scotland and
England until he broke his leg before signing the big contract. During
his coaching years he was called to both head coach and be an assistant
coach to the Bahamas Women’s National Team for both World Cup and
Olympic qualifiers. Just look at how far he’s come, and what one man has
accomplished, to the benefit of his island and his country!
“Coaching, is teaching, training or developing a process while achieving
a specific personal or professional result or goal.” I believe he’s
reached his goal! His vision has become a reality.
Coach Donnie
and Coach Mary have always instilled ‘life skills’ along with ‘soccer
skills’, and after all, isn't “teamwork” what life is really all about?
Although they have no children of their own, in actual fact
they’ve raised hundreds and hundreds of girls through their love,
discipline, and soccer success. Today they are invited to weddings and
graduations, and are cherished members, of many soccer families.
My
friend, and you will always be ‘MY Coach’, you are so very deserving of
this Kamalamee Honour for your contribution to Sports in The Bahamas.
You exemplify the best in coaching and mentoring, and remind us, of what
community spirit truly is.
Congratulations!
My family sends you Cyber Hugs from Canada!
Coach Robbin
(Children: coach / ref / player, Loryn Blower; coach Nathen Blower; player Tohni Blower; and player Jackie Blower)
Top Photo: Donnie Knowles with his Kamalamee medal, along side his wife Mary Woodside (right) and his sister and brother-in-law left. ---Bottom photo: Founder of the Kamalamee Organization with Donnie Knowles after he received his medal at the Pelican Bay Hotel, Freeport.
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Humble Beginnings! The birth of Grand Bahama Girls' Soccer Developmental League, at the first venue of the Catholic High School Field. Photo: Robbin Whachell
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Coach Donnie in action during the first years of his Grand Bahama Girls' Soccer League which is now in its 12th year. The league first ran at Grand Bahama Catholic High School before moving to the Freeport Rugby Football Club. Photo: Robbin Whachell
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Historic GBFL kick off game. Coach Donnie Knowles coaching two teams, the first ever all-youth team (in red) the Coca-Cola Crushers vs. the Predators (black & white). Donnie was also helping run the GBFL that year with the late Francis Bain (see behind Knowles) at the YMCA soccer field (which he also helped cut). Photo: Robbin Whachell
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