Former School Teacher and multisports coach Albert King died on Tuesday morning after suffering a heart attack.
He was 71. King was a former National coach during his time. He was a teacher at Belmont Secondary School where he held positions as the cricket, football and athletics coach until his death.
Only last week he was speaking to the Lucia Reyes Principal of St. Francis Boys College and told her that with the Pandemic he needed to meet with the Form Ones to begin training the team for the upcoming season.
King has trained many top-class athletes and did great work with many in their formative years including former World Champion in the Men's 110 Hurdles event Jehue Gordon. He was responsible for the likes of Nicholas Landeau, Marissa Gale, and Genesis Joseph, the last of his many athletic development projects.
During his career as a Coach, King coached Air Borne Sonics and Health Olympians but was always the Coach of Belmont Intermediate (now Renamed St Francis Boys College).
The top coach made an impact as head coach of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) Games from 1992 to 2016. He also coached the University of the West Indies Team at the Barbados Inter-Campus Games some years ago.
He was also the coach of the National Cross Country Team in his illustrious career.
His long-time companion Lucretia Marner-Burns told Guardian Media Sports yesterday they visited Rossi Sports store in San Juan on Tuesday to purchase clothing for the St. Francis Boys for the 2022 track and field season.
Later that day he complain about feeling unwell and sadly he passed away.
King, who introduced Gordon to hurdling as a Form One student at Belmont Boys Intermediate.
King was a Level Four middle and long-distance specialist also said that Gordon’s talent had been apparent from an early age.
“He came in Form One as a primary school champ from the Port-of-Spain and Environs Team when he attended Maraval RC school but when I saw him running over benches, I encouraged him to pursue hurdles,” he said, adding. “He was also good in cricket. If he had decided to follow it he could have been the equivalent of Dwayne Bravo right now.”
Gordon spent five years at Belmont before moving to QRC for Form Six and is currently attending the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.
King said they had maintained their relationship throughout and still kept in regular contact. He also hoped Gordon's win would encourage the government to invest more into track and field's development.
King was also responsible for the long-distance athlete Curtis Brereton who was deeply touched by the death of his coach. Brereton said last Thursday at training he told me that I was supposed to carry the session and he was certain that I would do a great job. He maintain that he had the confidence in me to run the session well. I am very shocked at his death. May he rest In Peace.
Albert King leaves to mourn his companion Lucretia Warner-Burns, his two sisters Cristina and Coral King, his daughters Onika and Renee and his son Richard and his granddaughter, Ameria and grand-son Frek.