Kingston Faculty observe and area Head Coach Leaford Grant (left) poses with the Mortimer Geddes Trophy whereas Staff Captain Antwon Walkin appears on throughout the college’s celebratory devotion following Champs 2024, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Picture: Joseph Wellington)
KINGSTON Faculty (KC) Head Coach Leaford Grant says he’s leaving the position, after six years, on the finish of their season.
Grant led KC to 4 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ Athletics Championships (Champs) titles in 5 years, and is aiming to safe another earlier than leaving.
Grant says it’s time for a youthful thoughts to be in cost.
“After doing it for over 30 years I sort of really feel now that the time has come when in all probability youthful individuals at KC have the kind of power they will put into it,” Grant advised the Jamaica Observer in an unique interview.
“If you end up teaching at Kingston Faculty it comes with a whole lot of power and arduous work to get an enormous crew like KC to the place you need it to be aggressive yearly. When you have got executed it for therefore a few years you want new, dynamic individuals to come back in and put within the mandatory work.”
Grant says his departure will likely be amicable and that he has no points with administration at KC.
“Let me inform everyone straight that me and the administration, the principal, and everyone at KC are all good — so let’s simply get that clear,” he mentioned. “There may be nothing occurring between us, it’s simply time for renewal at KC.”
As head coach, Grant relished the problem of main a title-chasing programme and appreciates what he describes as unwavering help from the varsity’s fan base.
“Success has been good as a result of I’ve loved most of it,” he mentioned. “KC is all the time a title-chasing college, and we’ve got a whole lot of followers who anticipate us to problem yearly and do our greatest. Our supporters are all the time with us — win, lose, or draw — however they anticipate us to carry out yearly.
“On the finish of the day you don’t need to be the one holding issues again, particularly whenever you’re getting older and perhaps you don’t really feel the identical drive. Typically, you simply want a bit of relaxation.”
Although stepping away from day by day teaching duties, Grant has pledged to proceed supporting the programme.
“I’ll all the time be round for KC, supporting whoever is there,” he mentioned. “I may not be teaching every day any extra however I’ve absolutely helped construct the construction that’s there proper now. You wouldn’t need to see somebody are available in as head coach and destroy that construction.”
KC, probably the most profitable college in Champs historical past, may also be aiming for its thirty sixth maintain on the Mortimer Geddes Trophy to rejoice the varsity’s one hundredth anniversary.
Champs takes place on the Nationwide Stadium from March 25-29.
