GABA ‘Retreat’ to continue in Worrel’s honour

Oct 07, 2008 Sports

– Courts to contribute to funeral

: GABA President, Trevor Rose [centre addressing the media yesterday with Courts Pacesetters Chairman, Dennis Clarke [left] and GABA Secretary and Pacesetters Head Coach, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan.”]

By Edison Jefford
The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association’s (GABA) ‘Retreat’ that proved fateful for Kevin Worrel on Sunday will continue following his burial and will be renamed after the former Courts Pacesetters player.

Worrel collapsed and subsequently died during a GABA Basketball Retreat on Burnham Basketball Court leaving the sport in trauma. The decision to reconstitute the event was revealed at a GABA press conference yesterday.

“We are going to continue with our outdoor programme in his [Worrel’s] honour,” GABA President, Trevor Rose informed. In addition, it was disclosed that Courts Guyana Inc. will facilitate some of his funeral expenses.

Chairman of the Courts Pacesetters Basketball Club, Dennis Clarke said that he had met with Courts’ Marketing Manager, Molly Rampersaud to discuss the details of the company’s contribution to Worrel’s funeral.

This newspaper understands that Courts will also offer support to the nightly vigil that is to be held on the Burnham Basketball Court. The GABA has promised to do what it can to ensure that Worrel gets a proper sendoff.

GABA Secretary and Courts Pacesetters Head Coach, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan updated the media when he said that President of the national basketball federation, Godwin McPherson had called to express condolences.
“McPherson called me this morning [yesterday morning] to express his condolences.

Our brothers overseas have encouraged us to ensure that we put systems in place so that we don’t have a reoccurrence of this,” Cadogan said.

The sudden death of Worrel on Sunday immediately sent the basketball fraternity into mourning. Ninety percent of the clubs in the City had a presence at the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was taken.

Asked if the death dents the Courts Pacesetters unit, Cadogan placed Worrel into the next generation of players for his club. “Worrel was part of the future of our team. He was a very strong and disciplined player,” he said.

Cadogan stated that while his club has an insurance scheme, there will now be moves to have his players undergo regular medical examinations. He said that he would advise all clubs to go a similar route.

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