Coleen Johnson, who distinguished herself as an outstanding, young Anguillian footballer, on the local and regional scene, is now playing the sport at a higher level. She is a proud member of the UWI Black Birds Football Team at the Barbados Campus of the University of the West Indies.
The Island Harbour, Anguillian footballer, who just turned 18, has been awarded a full football scholarship by the university. She is initially studying for a bachelor’s degree in Biology with plans thereafter to transfer to the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Coleen ranks well as a university football team player and regularly gets rave reviews in the Barbados newspapers for her admirable performance. “What has made me proud is that those newspapers always highlight her as being an Anguillian national,” said Raymond Guishard, President of the Anguilla Football Association. He saw her blossomed as a keen female player in the competitive sport on the island, over the years, and is gratified to have successfully organised the university scholarship for her.
As a footballer in Anguilla, she has played exceptionally well in regional competitions in Tortola, Jamaica and Trinidad, earning much respect and praise for her team, while developing her personal skills.
Asked what led the Barbados newspapers to regularly feature her in their sports columns, Coleen replied: “Because I stood out among the rest. I scored well and, in most times, took my team to victory.” According to her, “this is the first time that the UWI Black Birds are actually in the top three teams. They normally came at the bottom, but now they scored second, losing to another team just by one goal difference.”
Raymond Guishard commented: “Her coach said that he expected her to be good, but he didn’t expect her to be that good.”
Coleen, who has been holidaying home for the Christmas break, returns to Barbados on Saturday, January 17. She is the daughter of well-known football coach, dramatist and comedian, Colin Johnson, and Mrs Gwenneth Johnson.
Questioned as to whether she thought that her parents were proud of her, she replied: “Yes, they are – and I will continue to make them proud.”
