By David Thompson
Tristar Boys FC, a club that my life has been evolved around since the age of seven. There’s been many memories along the way, but this club is special to not only me, but for many. The opportunities, which a small communal club in Derry can create, is amazing, and I’ve experienced some of the best in recent times.
This club has vastly changed over the last 5 years . With the loss of the man who done everything on his own for years, ‘Big Ugg’, many may have thought that the club would never be the same. A man, who almost shaped the lives’ of many when times were tough, had disappeared from thousands of people’s lives. However the former players and coaches pulled together for the sake of a legacy of a legend in the city to continue.
In July 2014, former players of Tristar, Peter and Joe Bradley had invited our team out to Massachusetts for 10 days. An experience that brought memories that would last a lifetime. By staying with host-families, we were able to create friendships with people who welcomed us into their homes with their arms wide open. A holiday of dreams, living in America whilst receiving coaching from one of the biggest academies in the United States; Global Premier Soccer. A personal moment I’ll never forget is playing against a Brazilian team, something I could never have dreamed of
With my own youth football stint finished, I felt as if I needed to give something back to the club, a feeling which has been felt by many By helping out with the current national league squad, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. After our own team winning the national league in 2012/2013, it would be a great achievement for this team to follow in our footsteps. The enjoyment of seeing young boys enjoying their football, is something that I never thought I’d get a buzz off. With teams playing in different tournaments in a different country each year, the club is giving children opportunities that they may not often have the opportunity to do so. A team in every age group, with large numbers in each age group, numerous coaches in every age group, the communal aspect is ever present.
The big bearded figure of Jon Clifford is still the heart and soul of this club. A man who loved football, who cared for the youth of Derry, left a dynasty for the current coaches to follow, a club which I am proud to be a part of, in an attempt to help pursue the dynasty for the long term.
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