What My Childhood Taught Me About Our Future Leaders

Growing up in St. Maarten, I spent a good stretch of my childhood running up and down a football field. Those days carried a kind of joy you only understand when you look back as an adult. The excitement of getting ready for practice, the anticipation of the game, and the steady commitment of my parents dropping me off each time shaped me more than I realized. My father, Egbert Sr., played football himself, and knowing that gave me something real to look up to. It gave me direction. It gave me focus. It gave me pride before I even knew what pride meant.

And like many young boys on this island, my life eventually took another path. But the discipline and the values I learned in those early years stayed with me. They helped form the man I became. Even if you do not stay in the sport, what you learn along the way becomes part of you. Nobody can take that away.

Maybe that is why what happened recently with Curaçao qualifying for the FIFA World Cup touched so many of us here at home. Seeing a small island take its place on the world stage made the entire region proud. That kind of achievement starts from young. It starts with children showing up to practice, with parents who keep supporting them, and with coaches who dedicate their time and heart to guiding the next generation.

I had my own village behind me. People like Coach El Blijden, may he rest in peace. The late José Marlin. Mr. Bernard Marks. These men committed their lives to training and shaping countless young footballers across the island. And in baseball, we had pillars like Mr. Erwin “Backo” Richardson, Mr. Glenn Patterson, and Mr. Angie Daniel. These community figures helped guide many children through the world of sports and gave them structure, discipline, and motivation. Alongside them were the teachers who played just as important a role. They all poured into our youth without hesitation.

During my tenure as Minister of VROMI, I was honored to sign the decree to issue the football field in Belvedere to the St. Maarten Football Federation. That field continues to be a space where our youth sharpen their skills and build their confidence. I truly hope to see the finalization of the issuance of this land sooner rather than later, so that our young players and the federation can have the long-term security they deserve to plan, invest, and elevate the sport even further.

The commitment of our coaches, teachers, mentors, and community leaders reminds us that when we invest in our children, the results speak for themselves. But as leaders today, we must face the reality that if we expect these dedicated individuals to keep steering our youth in the right direction, we must equip them with more. The onus is on us. We cannot demand excellence while offering limited tools. We cannot expect strong outcomes without providing strong support. How our children turn out is not just on the community. It rests squarely on our collective leadership.

So on this Children’s Day, I want to encourage all of us to step up. Regardless of what happened yesterday, we have the opportunity today to pour into our young ones. Give them something meaningful to look up to. Keep them positively busy. Water their plants with guidance, love, discipline, encouragement, and opportunity. When we do this consistently, we do not just raise children. We grow futures.

Happy Children’s Day.

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