By Daniel Haynes

IN the football world, the name Alexander Bunbury is one that is quite popular and well known. He is one of the greatest Canadian football players of all-time, being inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in the year 2006.

Alexander Bunbury was born in Plaisance, Guyana on June 18 1967. He was the youngest of 13 children, born to Doreen and Harry Bunbury. At the age of 9, he and his family moved to Canada.
It was in Canada that Bunbury discovered his passion for football, a game which he picked up at the age of 12 and by age 13 he was on the Canadian U-15 National side.
He went on to represent his adopted home country at the Junior (9 caps, 3 goals) and Senior (65 caps, 16 goals) levels; and in 2006, the Guyanese was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.
Six years later, Bunbury was named in an all-time Canada Men’s X1 as part of the centennial celebrations of the Canada Soccer Association.
Bunbury returned home to Guyana for the first time in 40 years. When asked why, he became emotional.
“My brother Sam would usually visit but I was comfortable in my little part of the world, not wanting anything to do with Guyana,” he admitted.
“I had listened to everyone talk down about Guyana and I fell into the trap of not going,” he continued. “My only wish was that my brother and sister could be alive to see me here, see the work I’m doing,” he finished.
Bunbury had lost his sister three months earlier to cancer and then his brother five weeks later to a heart attack. When asked if his motivation was out of guilt for not doing anything earlier he was unflinchingly truthful.
“Yes, guilt did play a part, I won’t lie; but it’s guilt mixed with my desire to see Guyana grow and move into the 21st century when it comes to sports and academics.”
His plan revolves around establishing the ‘Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy’. According to the Canadian football icon, it will be established to help athletes in a cross-section of disciplines; to teach and build the same values that helped him become one of the best players to ever don the colours of the ‘Canucks’.