National footballer overcomes challenges to gain Bachelor’s degree

Exemplifying persistence and perseverance, national footballer- Azinho Solomon put his travails and disappointments behind him, and is now the holder of a Bachelor’s degree.

Solomon graduated from the Bryant and Stratton College with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Business Management, on Friday, April 14.

The 28 year old member of the System Three Academy was part of a group that left St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in 2017 for Texas Ranger College in the USA.

However, after two years at that institution, things did not go his way, hence had to take a year’s break, before enrolling at Bryant and Stratton College in Syracuse, New York.

Reflecting on his journey to the eventual attainment of a degree, Solomon explained that he often questioned his “back luck”.

“ When I got the news that I was unable to attend school, that was a challenging time for me because nine of us that went to Ranger College and graduated … after graduation most of them went on with their Bachelor’s programme and I was one of the unfortunate ones that something didn’t happen for me,” Solomon recounted.

Regarding that as a misfortune at the time, Solomon said he began questioning his success/failure in life.

“ I was frustrated and kept saying, why it always has to be me … I don’t ever have any luck … It was a difficult time being home and everyone asking why I was still in St Vincent, why I was not back in America.”

He said apart from the casual inquiries and some genuine concerns, there are persons who cast aspersions on him, relative to his commitment to gaining higher education.

Determined to beat the odds, Solomon said that he dug deep into his mental reserve and when the offer came to attend Bryant and Stratton College, he gleefully accepted.

Pleased that his perseverance paid off, Solomon thanked Ian Sardine, the founder of the System Three Academy for opening up the opportunities for him and others.

A striker and midfielder, Solomon graduated up the ladder in the various age groups teams in SVG before making his way onto the Senior Men’s National Team.

Having made his senior team debut in 2014, Solomon has been a fixture since. His latest appearance was last month in the Concacaf Nations League match versus the Bahamas here at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Apart from national representation, Solomon has had stints in the Antigua and Barbuda Premier League.