In his latest novel ‘86 years of Guts and Glory A VSADC Story’, local author Hubert Pierre writes about the Vempers Sports Athletic Dramatic Club (VSADC); it’s highs and lows and how sheer determination can lead to triumph.
“(It started in) 1935. It was the dream of (James) Belgrave to have a club for those boys who were on the streets and they were looked (at) as second class citizens. Even when the Vigie Field at that time was being used as the only playing ground for soccer, the VSADC boys would play barefooted; Social Welfare used to give them shirts to play the game so it was real poor beginnings so VSADC was born out of that type of system,” the author told Winners TV in an interview recently.
History
VSADC is one of the oldest established clubs in Saint Lucia and was started in the year 1951 by the late James Belgrave and the late Sir Vincent Flossaic, who viewed the club’s formation as an opportunity to engage underprivileged and marginalized inner-city youngsters in structured social, cultural and sporting activities.
The club enjoys a rich history and a proud tradition of producing national sports men in football, basketball, boxing and tennis. Although the club started as a boys’ choir and a drama group, Mr. Flossaic and Mr. Belgrave soon realized that many of the boys were athletically gifted, so he extended the club’s activities to the field of sports. The then George the 5th Park now known as The Gardens provided the perfect ground for the club to nurture a strong sporting culture which remains evident even today.
The clenched fist in the club’s crest is synonymous with the ‘Black Power’ movement of the 1960’s and the club’s motto ‘The Brave May Fail But Never Yield’ reminds members that despite the struggles and trials the club has gone through and continues to experience, through perseverance and determination, VSADC continually overcomes those obstacles and maintains the high standards which has been set by club’s founders.
VSADC has a rich sporting history and can be viewed as the most successful sports club in St. Lucia. The club has enjoyed success consistently throughout its history having won many national football and basketball championships.
VSADC has represented St Lucia with distinction regionally at the OECS and CONCACAF Club Championships both in basketball and football respectively.
The club has been fortunate to maintain a cadre of dedicated and committed administrators; sports men and women, who for the past thirteen years, have persevered with the development of the VSADC Youth Academy, to ensure that the legacy of VSADC will remain a permanent feature on the national and regional sporting landscape. (VSADC History via SLFA FIRST Division Football; the top division of the Saint Lucia Football Association).
“Whatever the era, everybody who came to VSADC demonstrated true grit and I think somewhere inside of them they realized that they were battling not only the team on the field but the whole system. We had to battle the system,” Pierre recalled.
“Nobody really loved us,” he added.
But VSADC, by all accounts, stuck it out and Pierre weaves their story beautifully. From guts to glory… jacks to kings… this story is not only heartfelt, but unique. ‘86 Years of Guts and Glory – A VSADC Story’ is now available at strategic places across the country. Pierre could be contacted at 715-0521/384-2593.