By: I.B.A Allen | Fri, Jun 27, 2025
(Source The Vincentian)Devron Poyer, feature speaker at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC) Sports Awards Ceremony, encouraged students to reflect on the past and use the accomplishments of others as motivation to shape a brighter future.
Speaking at the 4th Annual SVGCC Sports Awards, held Thursday, June 19, 2025, at the Diamond campus of the Hospitality and Maritime Training Institute, Poyer — a former SVGCC student and ex-General Secretary of the SVG Football Federation — delivered an inspiring address under the theme “Perspectives from the Past, Possibilities for the Future.”
“This achievement at this point in your life, it was built on everything that came before,” Poyer began. “The journey that brought you here wasn’t simply paved with roads but with decisions, dreams, sacrifices and effort. That is why the theme is so fitting.”
He emphasized the importance of vision and perseverance, reminding students that the very foundation of the college’s sports programme began with people who dared to dream.
“It’s not only timely but necessary,” he said. “The foundation that you stand on today once lived in the minds of only a few — those with vision, those who dared to believe that tomorrow would be better than today. Yes, they stumbled. They failed. They faced critics — some whispering in secret, some at the very table of decisions — but they pressed on. And because they did, we are here.”
Poyer took the opportunity to highlight the significance of SVGCC’s Associate Degree in Sports and the growth of the institution’s athletic programme. He challenged the current and future student-athletes to continue the journey of excellence.
“Use the achievers as a symbol of what is possible,” he said. “Learn the language of success, for you are unstoppable.”
According to Poyer, the purpose of college sports goes far beyond competition. “It was never about winning games or breaking records; it has always been about building character, teaching resilience, fostering teamwork, and igniting school spirit.”
He praised the college for already using sport as a platform for education, leadership, and life skills.
In closing, Poyer left students with a set of guiding principles:
“Stay disciplined always. Do what needs to be done even when it’s messy. Push through even when in doubt or when you feel alone. Think big — ahead of you are endless possibilities.”
The ceremony celebrated not only athletic achievements but also personal growth and the future of sports leadership in SVG.