BY NODLEY WRIGHT, Freelance Writer
Harbour View captain Lovel Palmer (right) cools down while talking to coach Barrington Gaynor, during a break in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match against Reno at Frome on September 18. Palmer scored the game's only goal to secure an away win for Harbour View. - CONTRIBUTED
LIKE MOST PEOPLE in southern St. Elizabeth, Lovel Palmer's first sporting love was cricket. He had been lost to it and had it not been for his older brother Theodore mentioning to then manager of the Essex Valley All Stars, Nigel Casserly, that he had a younger brother who could play, Lovel could be rubbing shoulders with his good friend Shawn Findlay and others such as Jerome Taylor.
"My bigger brother Theodore used to play but I was more of a cricketer than a footballer. He was invited to the Essex Valley All Stars squad by Casserly, but it was discovered that he was too old. He then told them about me," Palmer explained, adding that he did not think he was particularly good.
"I guess Theodore saw something in me," he added.
Palmer did not take football seriously at first, and the former allrounder only dropped cricket and focused on football when he realised that the Essex Valley organisation meant business.
He saw the signs when they began playing a number of practice games and when the team was paid a visit by the sponsors.
Seven years after joining the Essex Valley team Palmer has caught the national eye, not because of his ball artistry but because of his leadership and production. He is also an intelligent player who can be utilised in a number of roles.
Unlike most players, there are no airs about the St. Elizabeth product. He is very sure of himself and abilities.
VERY HARD-WORKING
"The thing about me is that I am very hard-working and once I see something that I want I go for it. I do not see myself as a skilful player. I am just a hard worker," was how he summed up himself.
The players admired by Palmer have similar traits to him.
"David Beckham, Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele are my players because of how they approach the game. Some people think Beckham is not a good player but he is the best at what he does," Palmer said.
His hard work has already begun to pay off as just this season, before his 21st birthday, he was named captain of the Harbour View Football Club. For him, it was not a surprise.
"Being named captain did not really surprise me. Ever since I started playing I always tried to lead and it has always been in me. When I heard that senior players were leaving I knew I had to stand up and lead from the front," said the former B.B. Coke and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) student.
True to his word, Palmer leads from the front. In his first game as captain, he led his team to a 1-1 draw with United States Major League Soccer (MLS) team Real Salt Lake in a pre-season friendly. That was followed up by a double against Wadadah in his debut Wray and Nephew National Premier League game as captain.
According to Palmer, as a leader, "when you lead players follow and want to play for you."
He kept up his form with two more goals in the next three games to average a goal a game and be the leading goalscorer in the league. He now has five goals but has since been overtaken in the goalscoring tables by Fabian Dawkins.
Even before this season Palmer started seeing the benefits of his hard work. A goal he scored against Waterhouse two seasons ago comes readily to mind.
"One of my most memorable moments was when I scored that goal against Waterhouse from well outside the 18-yard box at Arnett Gardens in the 2003-2004 End of Round final.
"I have a ball you see, when I am at home I make a mark for the goal on the wall and I keep kicking the ball in that spot. When I scored that goal against Waterhouse I was doing that everyday for the week so I knew I was going to score. Because of that when it came it was no surprise to me," he explained.
It was that same work ethic that earned him a place in Jamaica's 2001 Under-17 World Cup team and that which he hopes to take him even further.
"My goal is to play a major part in Jamaica's qualifications for the 2010 World Cup and become a fixture in the team," said Palmer, an occasional representative in the national team.
"I also want to be the best at what I do and earn a contract to play overseas," said the man who linked up with Harbour View soon after his association with Essex Valley.
He is also different from the average player in that he does not want to be seen as just a footballer. He wants to be seen as a good person and an ambassador for his parish.
"Every time I play I want to make St. Elizabeth proud. It makes me extra proud when people tell me that they saw me play or that they heard "Bertis" (Neville) Bell say something about Lovel Palmer from St. Elizabeth."
Fact file
Born: August 30, 1984
Position: Midfield
Clubs: Downs United, Essex Valley All Stars, and Harbour View.
Coach: Donovan Hayles
Honours: Jamaica National KO title with Harbour View in 2002; NPL Preliminary Round champions with Harbour View in 2005; Minor League titles in 2000, 2001; KSAFA Under-20 title in 2002; was a member of Jamaica's Under-17 team (2001).
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