Haitobserver. Hommage à Paul Calixte, père du football du Cap-Haïtien.

Father Of Cap-Haitian Football, Paul Calixte - Dead

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 7:17 PM

In high-school sports, no one is more revered, respected, and loved than Paul Calixte. Born to a privileged family in Cap-Haitien, he studied at Les Freres de l'Instruction Chretienne Grade School and graduated from College Notre Dame High School. After his studies, he remained as an instructor at College Notre Dame. He also began coaching soccer, and later football. He won his first of five football championships in 1972 that encouraged him to form the Football Inter-Club Association.

As a coach Paul Calixte believes in developing well-rounded personalities. He places just as much emphasis on grades as he does on winning a game. For half-a-century he has taught in high schools in Haiti and mentored scores of students through the thorny teen years.

A family tragedy struck Calixte when he was in his twenties. Then-terrorist dictator, François Duvalier, had his death squad murder Calixte's two brothers. Shaken but undaunted the family remained in Haiti, and Calixte is proud to be a Haitian.

He has been instrumental in recognizing sports-star talent and nurturing it. Dozens of professional Haitian football players owe their careers to his belief in them, and his rigorous training philosophy.

Calixte savors every victory as if it were the first one. He revels in the win-and-lose cycle, saying if his team has lost a game, they are that much closer to winning the next one. His hope, enthusiasm, and never-say-die approach teaches his young players that--win or lose--it's sportsmanship that makes a player a man, not a sore-loser attitude.

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