Grammar School has no mercy on Ollivierre

The St Vincent Grammar School is the latest educational institution here which does not want track and field coach Michael “Lord Have Mercy” Ollivierre to be part of its track and field programme leading up to this Thursday’s National Lotteries Authority inter-secondary schools’ championships.{{more}}

Ollivierre, who assisted the St Vincent Grammar School in recapturing the male division of the island-wide championships last year, was served with a letter to this effect recently.

The letter dated March 12, 2013, and signed by the school’s headmaster, Frank C. Jones, acknowledged Ollivierre’s contribution in the past to the athletes of the school.

The letter, continued: “Unfortunately though, I have to ask you to allow our coaching/management staff (Mr Rawlson Morgan, Mr Lorson Lewis and Mrs Suzanna Ollivierre), all employees at the St Vincent Grammar School, to exclusively work with our Track and Field team for the 2013 Inter-Secondary School Athletic meet. The directive has been necessitated by the ongoing rift between our coaching staff and yourself”.

The letter went on “Further, Management has considered it wise and proper to accede to their wish to proceed this year without your assistance”.

Jones stated : “I sincerely hope that the healing and communication process would be such as would facilitate your input in the future”.

The school’s principal added that this would be subject to the Ministry of Education establishing a framework from which Ollivierre would operate.

This decision by the school follows on the heels of the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, debarring Ollivierre, along with two past student-athletes from attending their track and field meet at the Victoria Park on February 26.

Reports are that at last Friday’s heats for males, which were held at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, Ollivierre was approached by some members of the local constabulary, as he was deemed to have been “interfering” with the event.

Prior to the staging of the heats, it was revealed Ollivierre was telephoned by one of the key persons in the organizing committee, who asked him not to be conspicuous at the heats.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT, Oliivierre said he thinks that the latest move by the authorities at the St Vincent Grammar School is on the advice of that institution’s head coach, Rawlson Morgan.

Stating he is not in competition with anyone, but just wants to see the sport advance, Ollivierre said he has a passion for the St Vincent Grammar School, as it is his alma mater and he was Victor Ludorum many years ago at the school’s meet.

Ollivierre added that a large percentage of the Grammar School athletes train with his club IT DAT, hence, his vested interest.

Ollivierre confirmed that his expertise has, however, been sought by the Girls’ High School, and he has readily obliged.

A certified track and field coach, Ollivierre, after spending more than two decades coaching in Jamaica, returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2010, and was contracted by government, through the National Lotteries Authority, to seek out athletics talents and harness them.(RT)