Ex-coach Verna Edwards' funeral on Friday

Former multi-sport national athlete and international coach Verna Edwards will be laid to rest on Friday at the All Saints Anglican Church, Port of Spain at 11am. Edwards died at age 65 on March 8 in New York, USA after a long battle with cancer.

Edwards was the mother of table tennis national junior and senior players Aleena, Astra, Andrew and Aaron and the wife of former field athlete, national record holder and Hall of Famer Aubrey who passed away ten years ago. Her granddaughter Imani Edwards-Taylor is a current junior and senior table tennis player.

She began her sporting career as a middle-distance runner participating in the 800m and 1500m events. She also played football for a period but transitioned to the sport of table tennis in her 30s where she represented TT at the regional and international level and claimed five national single titles.

She was instrumental in implementing the Special Olympics Programme in 1982 and was one of the coaches to travel to TT`s first-ever appearance at the Special Olympics Summer Games in 1983 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A nurse by profession, she later managed to dedicate her time to coaching at several homes throughout TT.

She became a qualified coach and toured with both junior and senior track and field and table tennis teams. She is a level five IAAF and a level three ITTF-qualified table tennis coach. She worked closely with the primary school track and field athletes of East St George and conducted several coaching programmes within the communities.

Apart from being the head coach of her club Gladiators Table Tennis Club, she was the longest-serving coach at the University of the West Indies coaching the St Augustine table tennis team since the inception of the UWI-SPEC two decades ago. She also lectured at the Physical Training Instructor course.

Verna worked at the St Mary's Children's Home for several years and they posted on their Facebook page, “We extend our deepest condolences to the family of our former Games Officer Mrs Verna Edwards. We say thank you for the many years of love, care and dedication to the growth and development of Sports.”

Over the last decade, Verna was an international table tennis umpire, and she attended tournaments such as the World Table Tennis Championships, World Veteran Championships, Commonwealth Games 2022, Olympic Qualifiers, Paralympic Games and Caribbean Championships.

Verna was truly an inspiration to all who seemed to have extended hours in the day for social regeneration through sport and youth work. She was a favourite amongst everyone especially the youngsters because she was able to adjust to their wavelength and her lessons taught were far beyond the playing field but about the reality of life.

Wherever she rendered her services, she touched the hearts of many wearing a smile, witty words and a warm embrace. Her indelible contribution to sport and youth of TT is worthy of further national recognition but she departed knowing that she created an environment for growth and development.