By Joe Chapman

THE Mining Town of Linden’s first-ever national cricketer Dr Vincent Adams has imprinted the importance of sports on the minds of young persons.
Dr Adams was giving the feature address at a presentation ceremony hosted by Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland for the recently held Linden Games last Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Lounge.

“With all the academics, credentials and my accomplishments it would not have been possible without sports,” the revered engineer and former MSC sportsman said.
In describing his life the academic said, “I practically almost lived at the MSC. I grew up in the alleys of Christianburg, as a matter of fact, playing cricket and table tennis almost all day and night.”

Adams advised the young bright sportspersons, including the likes of national athletes Chantoba Bright and Daniel Williams and others in fields of swimming, athletics, football, basketball, dominoes and cycling: “But I grew up in Christianburg and please be prepared, it’s a very low probability that many of you are going to make it to the top.”
He cautioned them saying: “Don’t expect whenever you play cricket or table tennis you are going to – and I think a lot of kids want – be the next Brian Lara. The probability is very low, which means you have to have a back-up plan. Fortunate for me I had the right people around me to ensure I had a back-up plan.”

He recalled: “I had a teacher by the name of Hector Parris. I got whipped for bringing third place in class and I never brought third again. But he made certain even if I was the best athlete, best table tennis player, best cricketer, I worked my tail off in the classroom.”
“When I got into the Guyana team and I was just about with greats like Alvin Kallicharran and Lawrence Rowe: all three of us were about to get into the West Indies team but when I was about to make that move, I got into an automobile accident right at Bamia on the highway.

The doctor said I could not play for two years and former outstanding West Indian batsman Basil Butcher called me into his office and told me, “You could play and everybody wants to be around you, but that is only going to last until you are about 30 to 35 years. If you get an education, it is going to last you a lifetime. And he was so right.”
With the well over one hundred youngsters listening attentively Adams declared, “I am not going to ask you any questions, but I went to the University of Guyana immediately. Butcher called the Faculty of Engineering at University of Guyana and spoke to a guy by the name of Dr Klautky and the rest of the story you know.”

He continued, “But it was a lucky thing that I had that backup. So I tell you kids, it doesn’t matter what sport you play and how good you are, make sure you have that backup because the probability of you making it as a professional etc. is almost zero.”
In hindsight the revered engineer said, “I hate to tell you this. But play for the fun of it. The one thing that sports have given me is the discipline. The discipline and focus. I used to be laughed at running the hills at Chritstianburg and I remember getting up regardless whether it is rain or sun running through the mud and people would be laughing, thinking that I am crazy.”

Dr Adams obtained his BSc Degree in Civil and Public Health Engineering from the University of Guyana and with scholarships he took post-graduate studies at Ohio University and the University of Missouri.
He attained Masters Degrees in Groundwater Hydrology and Geological Petroleum Engineering respectively after which he completed a PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of Tennessee.

He was Site Manager, Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant; Chief Engineer, Savannah River Site Nuclear site; Office Director, US Department of Energy Engineering and Technology; Consultant, International Atomic Energy Agency; Chairman, International Conference On Remediation of Environment; Chairman, Air and Waste Management Association; Engineer, Amoco Oil Company.

There is also his Bachelors, Masters and an exemplary career of academic excellence and service to the United States energy sector.
He maintained that “Sports is what made me who I am today and I expect it will make a lot of future for you.”