IT WAS JUST AFTER two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday.
The temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius and the sun was reflecting off the white sandy beach at Worthing, Christ Church. The aquamarine water was calm as bathers waded to a safe spot far away from the foamy waves which were breaking along the reef and spiralling northward.
Pleasure craft of various sizes were bobbing quietly at anchor as the coconut trees dominated the landscape.
To the south-east back from the water’s edge, a cool spot created by the shade of the trees formed what could best be described as an oasis for a group of young people.
They seemed very much at peace with themselves and with the world around them.
We sensed that this was an approachable gathering of young spirits and souls.
The first group seated at one of the beach tables included two young mothers from St Philip and three toddlers. One of them noted that she had come to the beach to have a bath because the water in her area was off. This was her first time at this beach but she had been encouraged by a cousin.
After a sea bath, they had retired to this cool section of the beach which seemed to have its own reclusive ambience. The children were happily tasting of the mini containers of peanut butter. They seemed to be overcome by an astonishing liking for the gelatinous substance.
Soon, the little ones were playing in the sand. They were engaged in their own bonding exercise. It was a sight to behold, one that reflected peace in paradise.
The female teenagers assembled a few feet away presented a mood that reflected similarly. One seated on a dividing wall about two feet high was receiving the attention of two other females; one was attending to her long black hair, while the other was doing some kind of inspection. They were in good spirits. We soon gathered that they were members of the Mavericks female football team.
They informed us that they had earlier watched the male Under-17 team in a game at Weymouth and as usual they had come to relax at the beach after the game.
Asked what had drawn them to football, one responded that it was a game of fun, while another exclaimed that she had started playing because she was following the example of her sister.
Soon the boys, who play for both the Under-15 and Under-17 Mavericks teams, would appear on the scene. It was a collection primarily of northern secondary schools: Lester Vaughan (the home base) Alleyne School and Coleridge & Parry.
The boys expressed great pride in their achievements. For this year, both the Under-17 and Under-15 are first in their respective divisions of the Banks football tournament.
For some of them, it was a case of the love of football being in their blood as they claimed. Their fathers were also footballers. Above all, they expressed a great love for the game.
They reflected on their tour to Canada last year when they competed in the Robbie International Tournament.
The display of camaraderie and team spirit was evident as the team enhanced their bonding while they relaxed on the beach following a match in which they avoided defeat after successive wins this season.
With their souls rekindled and the group, male and female, behind them, this united team is ready to face all comers.
Worthing Beach offered much more than we bargained for on Saturday. What a refreshing slice of Bajan life!
