Blue & Gold Feature

Blue & Gold Feature

Lovel Palmer Harbour View's Captain Marvel

Observer Reporter
2005

PALMER, was sent home by Peter Cargill after his first tryout

Harbour View's captain Lovel Palmer, building on momentum after 1-1 draws against Real Salt Lake and a Florida-based Latin All-Stars team in pre-season matches in the United States, has led his team off to a good start in this season's Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL).

With a goal against Reno in a 2-1 win on Sunday, the winning strike in a 1-0 win against Constant Spring and a brace in a 5-1 win against Wadadah, the midfielder has led his team to the top of the premiership.

The 21-year-old Palmer, who took over the captaincy reins at Harbour View in August, also leads in the goal-scoring tables with four goals, two ahead of his Harbour View teammate Luton Shelton, Boys' Town captain Fitzroy Anglin, Garfield Reid of Rivoli and Jermaine Anderson of Wadadah.

The goals have contributed to Palmer being named NPL 'Player of the Week' last week, but they are not the only reasons why this Reggae Boy is being seen as one of the promising players in the league today.

Palmer, who looks to the accomplishments of English captain David Beckham for inspiration, believes that his passion for the game and attitude towards discipline have contributed the most to both his and Beckham's achievements thus far.
"I think discipline is most important for success, and I don't mean just being polite," Palmer explained. "It is about reaching practice on time, being able to carry out instructions on the field, and remaining focused on the game.

"I am driven by my love and passion for the game. Being able to play it professionally, whether in Jamaica or

overseas. it still doesn't change how much I love football. "The road Palmer has traveled has been interesting, but no less difficult than most up and coming players. The young captain actually started out as a cricketer. "I actually used to play cricket for Alpart
(in St Elizabeth), and I didn't see myself becoming a professional football player," Palmer told Sporting World. "I first started playing football competitively for Essex Valley when I was 13. "Essex Valley FC was established in 1997 by Alpart as a development programme for community youth. The Essex Under-14 team made its first appearance in the Norway Cup in Europe in 1998, reaching the round-of-16 in the 160-team tournament.

Palmer remembers that occasion vividly.
"It was the first time I actually went overseas, and when we touched the field against our first opponent (Drammen BK Spar of Norway) it was the largest crowd I ever saw and I was very nervous," Palmer reflected. "But the first goal I scored in the Norway Cup was against that team, and it leveled the game at 1-1. It is one of my more memorable moments."

The journey to Harbour View had begun, but it was not to be a short one.

After his Essex Valley initiation into the world of competitive football, Palmer went on to play two daCosta Cup seasons for his school, BB Coke in 1998 and 1999. He moved on to St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) in 2000, where he played two more seasons of schoolboy football.

Outside of school, he played for Downs FC in the Manchester FA before transferring to his home side Essex Valley FC, which registered as a Division Two team in the St Elizabeth FA in 2000. He had to sit out that season due to transfer regulations, but took on what he describes as "more of a coaching role".

It was at this point that he got his chance to play for Harbour View.

"Harbour View approached the Essex Valley manager Nigel Casserly for possible recruits for their Under-15 team . he sent me and four others for tryouts," Palmer said. "The technical director at the time, Peter Cargill, sent me home after seeing us play."

Two months later, Harbour View's coach Ludlow Bernard called him back for another tryout. He was more successful this time, and made the team that won the KSAFA Minor League in 2000 and traveled to Italy, where they beat Verona 3-2 in the Romeo y Julieta competition after 1-2 losses to Nottingham Forrest and AC Milan.

Palmer was called to the Jamaica Under-17 team, and played in World Cup qualifiers from 2000 to 2002. He continued playing for Harbour View, and was a member of the Under-20 team that won the 2002 KSAFA championships in an unbeaten season, but lost to Arnett Gardens in the 2003 finals.

He was also playing in the Harbour View Under-21 team in both seasons, and recalls this period as his most difficult.
"When I was going to school and playing for the Harbour View Under-20 and Under-21 teams I had to travel from St Elizabeth every other weekend for the entire season, which was always stressful," Palmer reflected. "It was difficult because there was no financial gain. It was just my love for the game. Luckily, my family was always behind me and coach Bernard gave me all the support that he could."
In the summer of 2003, the Harbour View management moved Palmer into their NPL team.

Added Palmer: "At the beginning of the 2003/04 season they didn't have a lot of players to choose from because quite a few were playing in the US, so coach Donovan Hayles called me and other Under-21 players to the senior team. We lost to Constant Spring 0-1 in our first match, but I managed to impress the coach and he kept on playing me throughout the season."

He played several positions in defence and midfield, being shifted around as senior players returned to their roles. According to Palmer, the 2003/04 season which ended with a Harbour View loss to Tivoli in the 2004 NPL finals, "made me grow a lot. I felt good within myself that I could contribute to my team in whatever way possible."

It was also the season in which Palmer recalls experiencing his "most memorable moment."

"My most memorable moment was when I scored against Waterhouse in the 2003 mid-season final," said Palmer. "That was my first Premier League goal, and the shot itself was pretty good."

In fact, the low, powerful shot driven from 35 yards out was ranked sixth of the top 10 goals of the season.

The 2004/05 season was even more rewarding for Harbour View and Palmer. Having become a regular player on the roster, he played as a defending midfielder before taking up his current position in the attacking midfield on the right side.

He scored six goals for Harbour View during the regular season and three in knockout competition in a season where the team won the Caribbean Club championship against Tivoli 3-2; won the Premier League first round final against Waterhouse; lost in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup to DC United and finished at the top of the points table in the National Premier League.

At the end of the season, Palmer was called to the Jamaica senior football team. The new Reggae Boy, who is the youngest captain in the league, sees his team as having a very strong chance of winning the league this season.

"I think our team now is more rounded and stronger than before, with a number of young players with a lot of potential," Palmer asserted. "We are really playing as a team rather than many individuals. A lot of the players come from teams that have won championships before, they know how winning feels, and are doing the work we need to do so we can continue to succeed."

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