(Continued from page 22 of the Wednesday, January 26, 2011,, #2490 issue of Amandala)
BIOGRAPHY
The very essence of leadership is its purpose. And the purpose of leadership is to accomplish a task. That is what leadership does – and what it does is more important than what it is or how it works. (Colonel Dandridge M. Malone)
Colonel Dandridge M. Malone’s quote clearly embodies Donald Gilbert Hernandez. He is the essence of true leadership with a purpose. He has accomplished tasks and has made it work.
Donald Gilbert Hernandez was the eldest of six. Raised by a single mom and grand aunt along with his five sisters, Donald understood the tribulations of growing up in a single parent household in Belize City. Donald lived on Pickstock Street (Hutments) and attended Ebenezer School. His life changed when his mom died when he was 15 years old.
As a young man, sports was an outlet for Donald “Pino” Hernandez. It kept him out of the troubles of growing up as a teen, especially since he had no male role model figure in his nuclear family. Football was his sport of choice and refuge from the many problems people in Belize City faced. He started playing football in primary school and that was what led him to play some of the best soccer in his life…
It was through the primary school competitions that he became acquainted with some of the best players in his age group: Ernest “Reds” Wilson, Louis “Mugger” Garbutt, Phillip Foreman, Errol Phillips, Victor Lewis, John King, and George Lightburn.
Donald’s greatest opportunity came when Mr. Gordon Leacock took over as Principal of Ebenezer School. As a sport philanthropist, Mr. Gordon encouraged involvement and extracurricular activities that were sports-oriented. The school excelled in sports, and excellent athletes, both male and female, emerged from the school.
Donald started to become an all-around athlete. He ran track, got into softball, played cricket; he knew sports was his calling because he excelled in them. This pride of accomplishment came to fulfillment when he and his teammates won the primary school football championship against Holy Redeemer Catholic. That was a huge game for him; they defeated Holy Redeemer, 3-2. His school held the championship for two years consecutively. “Pino” was chosen to play North against South Side All-Star.
As Donald matured in the sport, he started making friends with other team players; that was how he met Gilbert “Chico” Ellis, Wilfred “Palmer” Davis, Carl Leslie, Conrad “Attila” Vaughan, “Straw” and “String” Pastor, Alejandro from Honduras, and many more. This was where he really started to learn the game of football.
Donald recalls going to the movies, and looking at the Harlem Globetrotters. Their unique moves, stylish antics and vision-driven team spirit enveloped Donald and his friends. This started basketball for black children who were not going to the prestigious Catholic schools in Belize City. They used anything that was round, barrel hoops on trees, and walls to play. They understood the game quickly and formed a junior team called the “Fireball,” coached by Pops Haylock. Their team was so famous and good that they beat SJC for the championship, which caused a great stir, because they were a group of young men that excelled at any sport they set out to play. This same group of young men were on their way to upset the status quo of sports in Belize: They played on
Primary School All Star, North Side against South Side, and won 3-2
Won Primary School Champs at Ebenezer two years in a row
Won Junior Champion with Dunlop Junior
Went undefeated with Dunlop from Jamaica lop
Played All Star against HMS Devonshire & Sheffield
Won in Mexico against All Star from Merida, Campeche, Coatzacoalcos
Represented Belize in Peten Football
Won undefeated with BEC (Captain)
Won Saint George’s Old Boys from Jamaica (Captain)
Won Saint George’s (All Belize) from Jamaica (Vice Captain)
Captain (BEC vs British Army) 1962, won 3-2, team trophy was presented by Sir Peter Stallard the Governor in Chief of British Honduras, goals scored by Donald Hernandez and Ernest “Reds” Wilson
Won over Queen’s Park Rangers.
BEC reached the finals in 1959-60 season and were defeated by Worcestershire Regiment in a knockout, 2-1. They also reached the final 1960-61 season and were joint winners of the trophy after 3 games without reaching a decision….
The 61-62 season started but was stopped by Hurricane Hattie in October 1961. After the hurricane, an exodus for the United States started …
Donald left Belize for Chicago, where his good friend Palmer Davis was. Palmer was already playing soccer there in Chicago, so that took away a lot of the culture shock for Donald…
He played with Adria (Yugoslavia) and he played in the National Soccer League (3 divisions). His first game was against a German team that was never beaten by Adria; however, Donald changed their fate by scoring three goals, allowing them to win, 5-0.
Donald and his team won their division and moved to 2nd Division, and won that division also. They moved to 1st Division immediately after. It was a very, very tough division. He started exercising and running track at the University of Chicago campus, where he met Eustace “Wappa” Gill and Leroy Lucas. He also met the head coach, who later gave him a job as Assistant Coach of the university soccer team.
Donald met more Belizeans and many players from all over the world. He had been moving up the rankings and won the First Division and moved up to the Major Division. He later quit playing with Adria and fulfilled one of the things he wanted to do most – forming a Belizean team called the “Rockets.” Rockets started all the way from the 3rd Division and won and moved up to the Major Division.
“Pino” was now happily married with three children, and Chicago was going through turbulent changes, which included major gang violence. There were still the unspoken levels of segregation in the city as well, and he believed his boys were growing up and needed a safe haven. While working in the northwest of Chicago, Pino decided to move to Palatine near the Wisconsin border for the betterment of his family.
Palatine, one of the largest soccer cities in Illinois, brought about fulfillment and gratitude for Donald. He was able to see his kids grow in a safe environment and playing soccer, while being able to become a soccer coach for many of the junior leagues with the city. Donald believed that his boys should play soccer and invest their time to understand the discipline of the sport. He coached the Palatine Travelling team for 12 years, giving way to great experiences for many, including his sons Justin and Donald Junior.
Justin, the youngest, was a great player. He had the opportunity to travel all over the state. His team was undefeated and won the state championship. His older son was more interested in track and basketball, but played football for two years while Donald was coach for his high school team, and they did manage to go to the state finals twice. With all his many challenges, though, Donald was still able to accomplish much while living in Chicago:
Played for Adria
Assistant Coach at the University of Chicago
Formed first Belize Soccer Team in United States
Coached Youth Soccer, won State Under-12
Coached Palatine Varsity Soccer team, went State two times
Referee in FIFA Youth Division (5 years)
Referee in FIFA for Seniors (8 years)
Coached Third World Soccer (players from Ghana, Nigeria, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Jamaica, and other African countries)
Formed Belize American Sporting Association (President); have sporting events for youth. Had the first Belize Hall of Fame Banquet in Belize where 30 Old Timers were honored.
At present is assisting coaching the Belize City soccer team in Chicago….
Donald has accomplished much and has touched the lives of many. He is a true inspiration to the many he has impacted. He is a true Belizean icon and a great role model for all Belizeans.