Do you recall a 2010 Guinness commercial in South Africa that featured a football scout being driven around by a young African man who took him to see a football match? During the match the ball lands by the driver, who seizes the opportunity to display a slew of phenomenal freestyle skills to everyone’s surprise. That driver’s name is Carlos Salvador Joao who was in Trinidad conducting a five-day Community Sports Clinic along with local clinical psychologist, Kamu Laird, which ended on Friday at St Mary’s Grounds. Joao is a UK-based functional movement sports coach and media personality. The 30-year-old is a co-producer and sports presenter at VoxAfrica, managing director of his own company “Sports Clinic and Events Ltd” and a football choreographer. Through his wide involvement in the media, Joao has been able to meet football stars such as Ronaldinho, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo to name a few.
The former Richmond College student described how his interest in freestyle football came about. “When I was about 16, there was a TV programme called Football Italia. And when the footballers were training, they always used to try to pull up little tricks in the training ground. My friends and I were all excited seeing them do those tricks so we started trying them. “But a year later most of the people I would play football with, stopped so I would start training on my own. After a while...I started concentrating a lot more on the actual manipulation of the football and that’s where my (freestyle) skills started to grow.” Joao became so proficient in executing various freestyle tricks, that he became known for his very own “hat sliding” trick—where he would balance a football on top his head while wearing a beanie hat, then quickly remove the hat without displacing the ball. Asked if he ever considered being a professional footballer, the Manchester United/Barcelona fan admitted that he did. He even received a trial offer from English Premier League football club Arsenal, but his parents would not allow him to pursue an athletic career. “The truth is when I was younger my parents wouldn’t back me. I got called to have trials with Arsenal, Taunton, Luton but if your parents don’t let you sign up, you can’t do anything.” The London resident suggested that some children become rebellious because they are restricted from doing what they enjoy. “When a parent doesn’t harness that (passion) and they kind of attract a child away from that, I think you have more opportunities for a child who will go off the road because they have to do something (that is) of no interest (to them).
“I think young people need to be engaged and unfortunately people can’t blame young people for getting into this that and the other, when they’re not asking ‘what it is that young people engage themselves in?’ If they’re not in anything, they’re going to do the natural thing at that age and be troublesome.” Questioned on what advice he would give such parents who are unwilling to let their children follow athletic careers, Joao responded: “I think there definitely must be more communication because I don’t think enough parents communicate with their kids. Telling your child they’re not doing something or they’re doing something is not communicating. I don’t think children really respond (positively) to that. “Secondly, I think parents need to understand clearly what their child really wants and if it doesn’t particularly interfere with anything, they (parents) need to question themselves on why they’re making that decision.” Despite being denied the opportunity to play professional football, Joao divulged that he is contented with the endeavours in which he is involved as he has been able to mentor and inspire many young people. Asked what was his ultimate goal in life, he said: “My goal is to do what I enjoy doing and at the same time help other people achieve what they want to do. If what I am doing, can keep me happy and alive and electric, and it’s helping the young people I’m working with or inspiring other people, then I can’t ask for anymore than that.”
-Shernice Thomas
Source: www.guardian.co.tt