Alumni News
In the Spotlight!! - Mr. Mabricio Ventura, Jr.
When one defines loyal a loyal friend, the image of a person who will stick with you through thick and thin is brought to mind. You look at such people with a certain level of reverence because they are special, and they don’t come around very often. A loyal friend is always there for you, he or she takes up for you, run interference for you in touchy situations and overall protects your interests even if you are not around. Such people are truly hard to find. In fact, it is more common to find fair weather friends than it is to find loyal friends.
This month’s alumni profile depicts the essence of a person who is truly a loyal friend to many of us who know him. Mr. Mabricio Ventura, Jr. is one such person. Some of us can remember the first day he showed up to Pepsi Cup training fresh out of Wolmer’s Prepatory school. Showing up in his maroon and gold socks and jersey. Many of the bigger players wondered where this “little man” was going. However, after watching him play central midfield, all minds changed in an instant.
Walking onto a team where he leap frogged second year players into the starting role, he started to impress right away. During that year, he found himself starting on a team with the likes of Errol “Sala” Lewis, David Mais, Kenneth “Chutch” Neita, Michael Green and David “Bubbles” Duhaney. That Pepsi Cup team of 1981 did not disappoint either, as they won the trophy for the second consecutive year. It was at that point that he solidified himself as one of the most talented and gutsy midfielders that the College would see during the eighties.
The exploits of the Pepsi Cup did not stop there as he migrated to the Colts level and the winning continued there as well. Once again playing in midfield the “Rat” (as he is affectionately called by his younger brother Valentino) continued to defy the critics by playing like a man twice his size, and showing more heart that the seasoned veterans. After the winning stints at the Colts level, the next step was the Manning Cup level, where the winning continued.
At the Manning Cup level, once again he played in midfield and to this date has the luxury of saying that he played midfield for the last team from the College to win Manning Cup. It takes a man with a big heart and some skill to play at the Manning Cup level; however, it takes a man with an even bigger heart to run the team from midfield.
Many thought that after the College, he would simply fade away as a “schoolboy footballer.” However, as fate would have it, he moved to the Major League level, and once again playing midfield helped guide Constant Spring to the title. It was a joy to watch him whenever he set up for corner kicks. Most of the people in the stands were in anticipation that he was going to score from that spot with those bending corners.
However, there is life after soccer. The football scene in Jamaica in the eighties was not as professional as it is today. Back then, obtaining a meaningful career in soccer was non existent. Therefore, the next phase of life saw Mabricio leaving and going to the United States. While in the States, the family life took over, and he married Ms. Yolande Brown in July 4, 1993 and started a career in the wholesale/retail industries.
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A devoted family man, Mabricio is known to do anything for his four children Mabrinna (12), Brishana (10), Mabricio, III (7) and Giovani (5). Things that some of grew up thinking were just crazy are common occurrences for him. Camping trips into the mountains with the children in search of bears and other wildlife are the norms.
He currently has taken an active role in the budding soccer careers of all his children, and has begun coaching in the Bowie, Maryland area. However, despite his time and devotion with his family, he cares just as much about his former teammates and other alumni of the College.
No matter to what ends of the earth an alumni is, count on Mabricio finding out either his telephone number of email address. He has tracked down people who many of us thought were deceased, and have them to miraculously appear at the Penn Relays. His ability at drawing us all together is what started the annual Penn Relays outing with Gerald Hector and Christopher “Boom Head” Williams.
Never one to leave a friend out in the cold, his home is a beacon for gatherings and “catch up” sessions. He makes it a point of duty to touch base with everyone in his telephone listing at least once every three months. His philosophy is, “if one of us is suffering, we are all suffering.” Many of the alumni who we have caught up with, will openly testify that it is great to be back among the brethren. It is through no small effort of Mabricio why we have been able to pull this together.
His unselfishness abounds, as he took time out of his vacation with his family in Jamaica to stop by the College to give an inspiring talk to the current Manning Cup players. His knowledge and ability to connect with the youth was definitely inspiring to the players. Many of the players today really need to understand that winning is a team effort, and requires hard, diligent work. We are sure that at least one of the players took what he shared to heart.
Many of us believe that his attitude to soccer while at the college came from his lineage. His father Mabricio Ventura, Sr. was a stand out three star athlete at the College. His brother Mario is a world-class batsman who has represented both the Jamaica and the Caribbean, and most recently played internationally in England. His brother Valentino is also a world-class batsman who has represented both Jamaica and the Caribbean. All three played soccer for the College at some level.
On the other hand, his genuine interest in his teammates stems from his very core. It is something that is deeply rooted in his being, and when it is all said and done, many of us who tune into this web site every month, owe him a debt of gratitude for tracking down and connecting so many of us.
Drop Mabricio an email at mabricio@aol.com.