Many Welcome Kelvin's Appointment
-as technical director of Lone Star


By Omari Jackson

ATLANTA, JANUARY 8:The appointment of soccer maestro, Kelvin Sebwe, as technical director of the national soccer team Lone Star, by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has been described as a significant move, to reverse the misfortunes of the team.

"This has been long overdue," said ace cameraman, Mozart Dennis, in a telephone interview from his base in Minnesota. "Kelvin has enough discipline, and the team will benefit from him."

Commented Mr. Rufus Akoi, director of Roza Promotions, Incorporated of New York, "It is a wonderful feeling that a player of such positive caliber is appointed to lead the team. Now we can say that we are getting serious for CAN 2012 and 2014 World Cup competitions."

Kelvin Sebwe began his career in central Monrovia, growing in leaps and bounds through the Inter-school Sports Association, with Brucein H. M. Myers, ll, as president, becoming one of the brains behind the success of Coach Henry Brown's Monrovia Black Star.

At the time, he partnered with brother Tom, Thomas Kojo, Josephus Quiah and the Sillah brothers, to introduce a new brand of interesting soccer in the Liberian soccer scene.
Ordinarily, soccer lovers would describe his system of play as, "from me to you," as the ball naturally rolls from one team-mate to another team-mate, and the opponents dance aimlessly on the field, chasing their own shadows.

In such instances, ace Liberian father of the game, Masayo, Josiah N. Johnson, would scream, "Football, Football," remembering his youth and his playing days, many, many years ago, when such a demonstration of artistry was known as, "tao-tao."

Still on his rise to stardom, Kelvin then moved on to star as captain of the junior national soccer team, Junior Lone Star, and he led the team to participate in sub-regional games against their counterparts from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.

Gaining entrance to the national soccer team, Kelvin was the idol of many soccer fans and whenever he was not featured in a game, either by injury or late arrival from Europe, soccer fans would yell their hearts out, especially when the midfield seem to be lacking cohesion and passes become jittery.

Spectators would show their impatience, and some would weep, in anger.

Like ace midfielder Mark Gibson, who in his playing days with Cedar United and Lone Star, made soccer looked like a child's play, Kelvin Sebwe surprised many followers of the game as the bow-legged midfielder joined the Lone Star, and crusaded alongside the then King of the turf, George Weah, and a partnership on the field, with the ever-green "Celebrated Player," James Salinsa Debah and Jonathan Sogbei (Boye Charles), made opponents to chase their own shadows in frustration.

Europe received Kelvin Sebwe, and for several years he played the game he knows and loves best, and it is the same passion that many believe he will take to his new assignment.

"The need to rebuild the Lone Star for future assignments," said Minnesota-based international coaching director, Youssef Dabarki, "is a necessity and I think Mr. Sebwe will serve as a key to be readily responsive to the team's demands."

Coach Dabarki, whose recent trip to Liberia did not materialize because of repeated plane cancellations, due to intense bad weather in the United States, was excited to hear of the appointment of the new technical director.

"I was scheduled to meet with Mr. Sebwe to plan with PRO-USA," Mr. Dabarki said, "but since we could not travel to Liberia on the scheduled time, I am open to work with him on the national team."

Coach Dabarki, PRO-USA's executive director Duanna Siryon, and his deputy, Jeff Doe spent ten days in New York, and eventually could not make their scheduled trip to Liberia. Meanwhile, Mr. Doe and Mr. Duanna are making new arrangements to proceed to Liberia.
One man who believes Mr. Kelvin Sebwe deserves all necessary support is Mr. Rufus Akoi, who had known the soccer maestro, from his youth.

He said, "I've known him (Kelvin), for many years and I have no doubt that with an effective technical team of experts, Lone Star will succeed."

For more than twenty years, Mr. Akoi has been developing players, both in Liberia and in the United States, and has a soccer team in the current division league in Monrovia.

His website, www.rozapro.org proudly declares: "For more than 25 years, Roza has been committed to improving the lives of Africans, especially Liberian youths through sports. We have been successful in providing recreational, cultural and educational support to/for the West African community on Staten Island, New York. We have directly, as well as indirectly impacted the lives of more than 10,000 people we served."

It is reasonable to admit that Mr. Sebwe will engage in a skeleton staff of capable men and women to carry out his functions, and he will do well to consider the credentials of Mr. Rufus Akoi as a partner.

Another astute Liberian administrator is Mr. George Harris, who once played for Invincible Eleven and the Lone Star. Mr. Harris is presently a successful administrator in sports administration, with emphasis on technical affairs in Minnesota.

"George Harris is a remarkable gentleman," said Mozart Dennis, who was active when Mr. Harris was donning the yellow and blue as well as the white, red and blue Jerseys, "who is willing to give his all for Liberia."

In any case, Mr. Sebwe's appointment will demand the material and moral support of the government that appointed him, as well as the people of Liberia, for it will be unfair to give a man an assignment to perform, without giving him the wherewithal.

"We'll watch what happens," said Cameraman Dennis, "we can say this is a new focus and direction for the national soccer team."