Source: www.trinidadexpress.com
By Kern De Freitas
Master of ceremonies Tony Harford hailed him as an "unsung hero" as he approached the podium to collect the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee's (TTOC) Alexander B Chapman award for outstanding contribution to sport and Olympism last Wednesday.
Unassumingly, Rudolph Jack went onto the stage at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) to collect his prize, neatly garbed in a sleek cream suit, with striped grey shirt, topped off with a cream and black-striped broad-brim felt hat that oddly seemed to match his long beard and neatly tucked in dreadlocks.
He humbly accepted the award from TTOC patron, President George Maxwell Richards, later dedicating the accolade to the community of Train Line in Marabella.
It was the first time a rugby recipient had picked up a prestigious TTOC award and it was long welcome for the Battoo Boulevard resident and founder of the Marabella-based Rainbow Sports and Cultural Club, which he has been running for more than 25 years.
Jack's story does not paint the picture of a stereotypical ruggerman. But he is clearly passionate about the sport, having persevered despite the many difficulties he has faced in keeping the club afloat over the years, playing in Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) competitions.
And the success he has reaped in recent years is testimony to his determination and passion. His team has excelled in the rugby sevens format and they have challenged the top clubs in the TTRFU Toyota-sponsored Championship Division.
"The first person who really support (us) was Gerard Ferriera," Jack told the Express on Wednesday night, "and then he became San Fernando mayor and he helped me a lot to help keep my first team going. Then in 2006 and 2007 he was in the Sport Company (SPORTT), and from there my team rose."
The Tobago-born Rastafarian first got into rugby in the late 1970s through the invitation of members of the "All Blacks" rugby club and, initially, he did not want to play.
"But then after they gave me the ball and told me to get from one end of the field to the other end with them trying to stop me," Jack related, "and I just took the ball and keep taking my knee and bounce them on their shoulder and I get past."
After a second "audition", he was invited to play a match against Royalians and after that he was hooked.
Jack, and Rainbow, have seen many setbacks to get where the club is now.
He explained that in 1988 he was arrested, but it was faith in God that turned things around for him.
"I asked God if He take me out of that, I will spend the rest of my time assisting youths for them not to go down the (same) path," Jack explained.
"I'm stuck with this job and I know Jah going to help me through," he added emphatically.
But the reception Jack has gotten in seeking financial assistance for his club has hardly been inspiring. Apart from Ferreira and a few other Marabella businesses, he said the only positive response he gets is from foreign entities.
He chalks it up to being a "whole big political game".
Jack would have liked to see better results from his rugby teams last season, with divisions from Under-13 up to their senior squad. But their training ground, the Marabella Recreation Ground, was unavailable to them for some time.
"We had to travel to Port of Spain (to train). (But) by the assistance of Tracey Ceasar, he (joined forces) with the present San Fernando mayor (Marlene Coudray) and makeshift the ground so it eased up some of the travel expenses."
Right now, Jack is trying to prepare an Under-13 Rainbow team to go to Manchester, England. He is hoping the ground will be available to practice in mid-January, after heavy rains curtailed his plans.
But Jack's biggest hope for Rainbow rugby is the Olympic dream.
"Rugby is being introduced into the Olympics from 2016, so I'm hoping to produce most of the players who will be going to that tournament. That is my dream."