Last Friday, April 14, 2023, was a red-letter day for one of the country’s national footballers- Azinho Solomon, as he graduated from the Bryant and Stratton College in Syracuse, New York, USA, with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration/Business Management.
For the 28-year-old, it was a stop and start journey on his way to realizing his academic accomplishment.
In 2017, Solomon was among a group of footballers, mainly from the Ian Sardine-administered System Three Academy, who were accepted to Texas Ranger College in the USA.
Whilst most graduated in 2019 and went on to pursue their Bachelor degrees, Solomon was one who hit a bump along the way and had to delay his progress.
That has not diminished the pride with which Sardine holds Solomon, especially for his latest achievement. For Sardine, his exploit is vindication of the intent of the Academy.
“I am particularly pleased for Zino (Solomon) and before him Devon Williams who is on his way to his Master’s, and there are others set to graduate later this year with either their Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree”, a heartened Sardine related.
Sardine is particularly pleased in the face of what he said was a situation where persons, especially at the Secretariat of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, have been critical of the intent of System Three to get players out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to US colleges and universities.
Undeterred, the venerable Sardine, who is not only chief administrator but also the founder of the System Three Academy, highlighted this as the current focus of his organisation.
“Other footballers are waiting on their opportunity to be enrolled, and we at System Three are doing everything possible to make it a reality,” Sardine stated.
“I will re-state, our focus is to get as many players out, for them to make something of themselves both academically and economically,” Sardine expounded.
System Three Academy began sending out footballers to the US on part scholarships back in 2015. Since then, there has been a steady flow of young footballers, both males and females, going to the US to play football and gain certification.
Solomon comes from a lineage of renowned national footballer, not least being his father- Andre Sam, and uncles- Anthony Sam, Kendal Velox and Thaddeus Sam, as well as his grandfather-Tyrone Sam of Notre Dame fame of yesteryear.
Source :The Vincentian