Anton Skerritt

Anton Skerritt
Personal information
Date of birth (1964-01-03) January 3, 1964 (age 60)
Place of birth Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994 St. Catharines Wolves
1995 Toronto Italia
1996 St. Catharines Wolves
1997 Hamilton White Eagles
2002–2003 Metro Lions
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Canada
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Edinburgh 4×400 m relay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 18, 2016

Anton Skerritt (born January 3, 1964) is a Trinidadian/Canadian former sprinter, and soccer player. As a sprinter he competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1988 Summer Olympics, 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 1986 Commonwealth Games, and the 1989 Jeux de la Francophonie.

As a soccer player he played in the Canadian National Soccer League, and the Canadian Professional Soccer League. After his retirement from professional sports he became a vice principal for Vaughan Secondary School in Vaughan, Ontario.[1]

Athletics career

In 1982, Skerritt began playing soccer at the college level with Howard University. After a recommendation from an American national track and field team coach he switched to track and field.[2] He was chosen to represent Trinidad & Tobago in the 1984 Summer Olympics to compete in Men's 400 metres, and the Men's 4×400 metres Relay.[3]

In 1986, he switched his allegiance to Canada for the 1986 Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal in the 4×400 metres relay.[4] At the 1987 World Championships in Athletics he achieved a Canadian record of 45.62secs in the 400 metres event.[5] He featured in the 1988 Summer Olympics, 1989 Jeux de la Francophonie, and the 1991 Pan American Games.[6] In the Francophonie Games he won 3 medals in 400 metres, 4×100 metres relay, and 4×400 metres relay. He retired in 1992 to pursue his education in teaching.

Football career

In 1994, he returned to professional soccer to play with St. Catharines Wolves of the Canadian National Soccer League. The following season he signed with Toronto Italia, and also had a stint in the Canadian International Soccer League with the Caribbean Stars.[7][8] In 1996, he returned to St. Catharines where he won the Umbro Cup and reached the CNSL Championship finals against Toronto Italia but lost the series by a score of 11-0 on goals on aggregate.[9]

In 1997, he signed with the Hamilton White Eagles, but was released midway through the season as the league suspended the organization for the remainder of the season.[10] In 2002, he signed with expansion franchise the Metro Lions of the Canadian Professional Soccer League.[11][12] In their debut season the Lions secured a postseason berth by finishing third in the Eastern Conference. In the semi-finals they faced the Ottawa Wizards, but suffered a 1-0 defeat.[13] He returned for a second season with the Lions, and helped the club reach the finals of the Open Canada Cup tournament where they lost the match to London City 4-2 on penalties.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Pages - School Information". www.yrdsb.ca. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  2. ^ Shamar Brown (December 10, 2016), Sit down with Anton Skerritt, retrieved November 23, 2017
  3. ^ "Anton Skerritt". www.sportarchivestt.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  4. ^ Sokol, Proudfoot, Al, Jim (August 13, 1986). "Chilly wind closes Commonwealth Games". Toronto Star. p. E2.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Cleary, Martin (August 5, 1988). "Track and field stars expected to shine; Johnson leads Canada's best into national championships". Ottawa Citizen. p. D2.
  6. ^ "Anton Skerritt". Team Canada - Official 2018 Olympic Team Website. September 19, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  7. ^ Glover, Robin. "CNSL July 17th". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  8. ^ "Heads Up". Toronto Star. June 10, 1995. p. E4.
  9. ^ Glover, Robin. "October 27, 1996". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  10. ^ Glover, Robin. "June 18th, 1997". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  11. ^ "SSRmagazine.com...The most entertaining and colourful soccer magazine on the market". www.caribbeanstars.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  12. ^ "CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League". November 21, 2003. Archived from the original on November 21, 2003. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  13. ^ Glover, Robin. "October 19, 2002 CPSL Ottawa Wizards vs Metro Lions (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  14. ^ Glover, Robin. "September 1, 2003 CPSL London City vs Metro Lions (Open Canada Cup Final) (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.