My early years of playing football started inDevonshire. In the neighborhood there were also other well know footballing families. They were the Levans, the Castles, the Beans and the Baxter's. Very few people know that I'm originally from Dock Hill, Devonshire.
I attended ProspectPrimary School and Richardson's Pre School on North Shore. My Father was from Pond Hill and my mother was from Somerset. My early childhood football team was Devonshire Recreation Club. I used to watch the team train at times and Earlston "Dock Foot" Jennings was my favorite player. I thought he was the best goalkeeper in the world. I skipped SundaySchool atSaint Monica's Mission once to watch him play.
The neighborhood had a special spot where we played football every day that I called "The banana patch" It could be the coldest day in winter but we always played.One team wore shirts and the other team was without.The grassless patch wasn't that big, but no matter how many guys was on a team we all jammed onto the patch and played.
When I moved to Somerset, I still attended Prospect Primary School, until other families in the Devonshire neighbor moved to dockyard, that's when I decided to go to Boaz Island Primary school.
The first school football team I played for was at Boaz Island as a goal keeper. After I left Boaz Island School,I attended Sandy's Secondary School were the majority of my classmates at Prospect Primary also attended including my good friend Damon "Froggy" Simmons. All of a sudden, I had my "posse" back. WhilstI was at Sandy's School, I had the privilege of being coached byMr. Donald Dane. At times he allowed the Devonshire Colts Team to Train at the School. Sometimes he would let me join their training sessions. Therefore, the First Senior Team I trained with was Devonshire Colts.
I stared junior football at Somerset in my second year at Sandy's SecondarySchool. played twice a week in school and on Sundays.
One day whilstI was representing the Sandy's Secondary School at the Royal Navel Field, I was spotted by Somerset Trojan Senior players who asked who I was. They were informed that I was a junior player that trained, at times, with Devonshire Colts at the Sandy's School field. Devonshire Colts already had Somerset born players that played with Devonshire Colts. They were Albert Dowling, Willis Cann and Gordon Cholmodele. One-week later RogerRussell who played for Somerset Trojans at the time asked me to bring my gear the following day to PHC at 5pm. The Somerset SeniorTeam had a friendly game with the National Squad. I informed him that I had no transportation to get there and he offered to take me. I was in the changing room getting ready for the game and I did not know the players that much to talk freely to anyone so I kept quiet.
The CoachConrad Simons took one look at me and asked who was I. Roger Russell replied"he plays for the junior team and I told him to bring his gear to play with us as we were going to be a couple of players short". Luck was on my side that day because at the beginning of the game we only had 11 players to start the game which allowed me to play. Coach Simons told me and two other players that when the other team members arrive, we will have to be taken off the field. Well two other players were taken off the field but not me. After the game I got good reviews from players, the opponents and theNational Coach Mr. Burned Fisher of Germany.
Two weeks later Lady Luck struck again. A touring team from Canada was in Bermuda and Somerset was scheduled to play them at PHC Football Club. A few Somerset players were off the island and the team was short again of players.Mr. Russell got me into the squad and asked Mr. Simons could I start. Initially Mr. Simons said NO because he did not want me to get injured.I was only 14 years old at the time, but a few players persuaded him to let me start with the understanding that if the game got too physical for me, I was to raise my hand and he would take me off the field. He mentioned this to me 3 time before the start of the game.
Mister Joe Brown was the commentator that night and he praised me for every move I made. He described me to the listening fans on the radio as "little Dwaine Richardson" and stating that I tricked the Toronto full back 10 time with 10 different tricks. I played the full game and will never forget setting up the winning goal. The next morning the Newspaper Sports Headline read "Richardson Tricks Toronto" and that's where the nickname "Tricks" was originated.
One week later North village and Somerset were playing in the friendship trophy knock competition. I was surprised that Mr. Simons included me in the squad. I remember him leaning over tome in the 70th min and telling me to warm up. I was surprised that I was going to play in this game. That night I scored the winning goal, my very first goal in the first division against Bermuda's best goal keeper at the time Granville "Sam the Cat" Nusum.
Those games were the first three Senior games that I experienced in 1969. I was 14 years old.
Football was good to me and I enjoyed every minute of it. I had the opportunity to represent my country and club and travel to various different countries around the world like Mexio, Venezuela, England, Canada, United States and various Caribbean Islands to the say the least.
I would like to thank the Bermuda Football Association for offering a football scholarship in my name and congratulate other players who are being honored. I am truly grateful.
