‘Mercy’ is TASVG coach of the year

Michael “Lord Have Mercy” Ollivierre was last Saturday named Team Athletics SVG’s Coach of the Year, when the local body held its 2011 Awards and Presentation Ceremony at Frenches House.{{more}}

It was the lone announcement which caused a stir at the venue, which led to much debate following the ceremony.

Ollivierre, a Track and Field Coach, who specializes in hurdles and distance running, is employed through an arrangement by the National Sports Council and the National Lotteries Authority.

He, along with Godfrey “Fuzzy” Harry, Physical Education teacher at the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, saw that institution become the first Vincentian school to participate in the famed Penn Relays in the United States of America, in April of 2011.

Since then, they have parted ways, as they are not seeing eye to eye.

Ollivierre, who spent over two decades coaching and working in Jamaica, but returned in 2010, was commended in the citation for his “aggressive” manner in going about recruiting young athletes from all parts of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Ollivierre also travels to the Grenadines to conduct coaching sessions.

It is believed that it was Ollivierre’s style of recruitment which may have tipped the scale in defeating his main contender, Harry.

Thomas Saunders Secondary won both the Male and Female categories of the 2011 Inter Secondary School’s Track and Field Meet, with Harry at the helm.

Harry continues to be the mainstay of the X-Ceed Sports Club, which last year won the Mustique Company National Championships for the fourth year in succession.

Ollivierre has since formed IT DAT, a new track and field grouping, with the likes of emerging middle distance runner Ezra Samuel in his fold.(RT)