The idea by the Mayor and Town Council of Bartica to construct and name a pavilion after the late former National Footballer and son of Bartica, Neil Hernandez has drawn loud plaudits from the former players mother, Edna Hernandez.

Mrs. Hernandez offered words of gratitude to the persons behind the gesture during a recent interview with Kaieteur Sport. She informed that Neil, who was an all-round athlete was the third of four children; the others being Mark, Uziel and Claudine.
A talented and reliable midfield player at the time of his passing, Neil, a father of one girl, Akeelah, who attends Brickdam Secondary, passed away in fiery circumstances on December 17, 2007.
The impact that he had already made on the football landscape locally and internationally was already solid and despite him passing so early in what was destined to be a very bright career, the legacy that he has left would be lasting for many generations to come.
All the Hernandez siblings were associated with the sport of football, Neil and Uziel were however the two stars, while their sister, Claudine, who was also a Referee, but did not continue.
The duo was dominant from the Under-11 age group and upwards.

Neil Hernandez has drawn loud plaudits from the former players mother, Edna Hernandez.
Mrs. Hernandez offered words of gratitude to the persons behind the gesture during a recent interview with Kaieteur Sport. She informed that Neil, who was an all-round athlete was the third of four children; the others being Mark, Uziel and Claudine.
A talented and reliable midfield player at the time of his passing, Neil, a father of one girl, Akeelah, who attends Brickdam Secondary, passed away in fiery circumstances on December 17, 2007.
The impact that he had already made on the football landscape locally and internationally was already solid and despite him passing so early in what was destined to be a very bright career, the legacy that he has left would be lasting for many generations to come.
All the Hernandez siblings were associated with the sport of football, Neil and Uziel were however the two stars, while their sister, Claudine, who was also a Referee, but did not continue.
The duo was dominant from the Under-11 age group and upwards.
Neil attended St. Anthony’s Primary and then Bartica Secondary where he was a leading player in the dominance of Bartica back in the then School’s Coca Cola championships. Zooming in more on the construction of the pavilion which will serve basketball and football fans, Edna expressed excitement.

“I feel good, I feel great, I’m really excited about it; it’s in his memory which would live on. I also feel good at the fact that at least somebody had the thought to put it into reality that you would have something to remember this outstanding young man. I just feel flustered about the whole thing, this is how I feel.”
Mrs. Hernandez recalls that during his former days in Primary school Neil was always called upon to lead in any if not all sports disciplines by his classmates. He noted that he always had leadership qualities.
“His friends and fellow students would always call on him, Neil let’s do this, Neil let’s do that and he would be in the forefront to approach the head of the school with the proposals to play whatever and ensure that it is done. Sometimes they would say, well, we want to paint over the home economics department or do something in the technical drawing department, they decide what it is and it’s done with Neil leading the cause.”
Mrs. Hernandez, on behalf of her family is expressing heartfelt gratitude to Mayor Gifford Marshall and the Town Council for their brilliant move in recognizing the positive legacy of her son.

“I would say to the Mayor thanks for the fact that he has taught it wise, it’s so wonderful to know that he’s being remembered for his contribution to the sport and community.”
Asked what advice she would have for young people today, going after a career in sports, Mrs. Hernandez said: “Let me refer back to an instance, there was some younger boys than himself, at one time they were selected to Georgetown for further selection for some game and they came one morning to ask Neil to take them to Georgetown because they did not know where they were going, will you go with us? Neil then asked me if it was ok for him to accompany these youngsters and after I got the relevant info as to what it was, I said to him, yes, it is ok to go with them.”
She noted that Neil went and chaperoned the players very well, such was his personality among his peers who all wanted to be with him as he was a true leader, impacting positively on their lives.
“Whenever there was any game, whether it be circle tennis, cricket, football, whatever it was, they always reached to where he was; we would like you to be a member of our team and he was always there, athletics, it was the same thing.
So I want to say generally to parents, they have a tendency to say, I don’t want my child to be involved in sports because of exams, I would say no. When you get involved in sports activities, you have to think, you have to be positive because you’re thinking that you have to devise a strategy for winning and so it gives you the thinking power.”
Mrs. Hernandez posited that playing sports is likened to a challenge you’re facing and you want to achieve the best positive outcome so you have to think and strategize how you’ll get the results you need.
“So like that you will think ahead how you will go over it, how you’re going to do it, so I think that sports on the whole is something that would be an encouragement to young people. And to young people I want to tell you, don’t think about sports alone, think about having an education because with an education, you can be at a higher level and your thinking power increases. Education gives you that inward ability to go forward, cast the negatives aside and let the positives always be in the forefront.”
Mayor Marshall commenting on the progress of works said that it is going according to schedule and is expected to be completed in three months time. He reminded that it is the vision of his Council to transform the sports landscape in the Town and by 2020; three grounds would be done to acceptable standards where the youths and others can hone their skills.
Marshall also informed that Neil Hernandez was a classmate in Primary and Secondary School with Neil being the star in the class.
“Neil was that individual that every girl and boy wanted to be like. Where sports was concerned, he was very good in athletics and when it was time for you to choose which house you wanted to go in, everybody wanted to be in the house with Neil. And then those lunch break football and after school sports sessions everybody wanted to be on the same team with Neil.
Mayor Marshall stated that Neil was a real model for himself and other students, citing the fact that it is not easy to take him out of their minds given the kind of individual he was.
“We really believe that he had lots to offer this country but unfortunately he went way too young; but very talented, very gifted and this is just a small way in which we can say thanks for his contributions.”
It was pointed out by the Mayor that Neil Hernandez came from a family which has contributed meaningfully towards the development of Bartica.
“Most of his family members worked and toiled in various departments’ right here in the region to make Bartica a better place, so the family would have done their fair share in moving Bartica forward and like I said, Neil was like the fruit of the entire crop so we indeed, really miss him.”

Source: Kaieteur News