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KC, Calabar renew rivalry at 14th David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Classic
August 15, 2024
The late David 'Wagga' Hunt had a link with the biggest local high school rivals Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High. The former KC student made an unfamiliar crossing to be head coach of the Manning Cup football team at Calabar, a school that had been involved in many fights with KC, sparked generally by their showdowns at local high schools' premier track and field athletics meet, Champs.
Hunt's passion for football has done a great deal in cooling tensions between the schools and sealed a lasting legacy. And according to Leighton McKnight, a member of the David 'Wagga' Hunt Foundation, Hunt, who passed in 2007, was adamant in creating a solid relationship between the two schools.
McKnight shared that after Hunt's untimely death, a foundation was created and members decided that a football match backed up with scholarships was the best way to carry on the late coach's legacy.
"He was very integral in youth development, especially for the less fortunate, as this was his mantra. He was very involved in football and everyone knows about the rivalry between Kingston College and Calabar, which sometimes got out of hand. Therefore, he tried to foster better relationships between the schools," McKnight stated.
Hunt's legacy lives on through the 14th staging of the David 'Wagga' Hunt Classic, which will take centre stage this Saturday at the UWI, Mona Bowl, with the schools locking horns in the day's feature encounter.
The classic continues to be played under the theme, 'Rivals, Not Enemies', to exemplify the commitment Hunt had for developing student athletes at both institutions. Hunt is famously remembered for guiding Calabar to Manning Cup and Olivier Shield glory in 2005, following a 28-year title drought.
The day's activities is set to commence at 2 p.m. with a clash between the UWI Pelicans and the St George's College Masters, followed by August Town versus Harbour View, and then the feature match.
McKnight says the foundation also does off the field matters in handing out scholarship opportunities to student athletes.
"There are three fundamental aspects to the scholarship - your scholastic performance, your extra-curricula activities, and lastly, your needs. You must be a youngster with good potential but cannot afford it. We then take those students from grade eight to (grade) 13 and give them $150,000 per year. Some of these recipients have gone on to be lawyers, doctors and robotic engineers," he highlighted.
McKnight added that this year's Calabar-KC encounter is expected to be a tightly contested affair, as both teams will be using the match as a litmus test to the upcoming Manning Cup season.
"The feature game will be the climax as we're expecting a good clash between the current Manning Cup teams from Calabar and Kingston College. Both teams want to use this as a preparation gauge for the upcoming Manning Cup season."
