With a legacy of 5 decades, the Carmelites Sports Club has earned quite a few accolades, with the passage of time. The most notable amongst them, the Nadkarni Cup victory in the year 1990. The club’s founding father, Mr. Joe Pereira, also lovingly referred to as uncle Joe, was and continues to be a source of inspiration for the current management. As stated by Mr. Eudes Kinny, who has been the team’s manager for the past 26 years. The sports club had a slow and steady evolution, founded in the year 1970, initially, the team solely comprised of players who resided in Carmel Co-operative Housing Society, Bandra. As they fledged, the club expanded their reach and eventually started recruiting players from all over Bandra. And eventually attracted players, not only from all the corners of the country but also trained talent from international hubs such as Nigeria, England & Italy.
Currently basking in the fame of competing in the 1st division category of the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) League, their journey has been one of twists and turns, of defeats and thereafter relentlessly training to overcome challenges in order to get back on the pedestal. An inspiring figure who must be given an honourable mention is coach Eudes, who is undeniably credited with rejuvenating the club’s morale when it was looming in nadir. Given the fact the plummeted soon after reaching the pinnacle of the Nadkarni Championship. This was due to the disintegration of the team, owing to factors such as some players had to dedicate time to building a career, while some progressed to playing professionally.
None the less under the guidance of coach Kinny the reformed and rebuilt a team from scratch and once again traversed from the ground up. Post, 1994 the club only participated in local tournaments and worked their way up to their current standing all over again. Rising akin to a Phoenix the club boasts of having trained players who have played for distinctive teams such as Air India, Mumbai FC, Dena Bank & ONGC. The club has also played a crucial role in nurturing the talented Henry Picardo, who is the only Bandrite to have represented India in Football and later managed Mumbai FC in the prestigious I-League; Walter Pereira ex-FIFA referee and Altaf Mansoori who represented Junior India now represents Reserved Bank of India (RBI).
Staying true to their motto, “Harness Raw Talent into Future Prospects” the club continues to inspire and support young talent such as Manuel D’souza former Maharashtra Under-15 and former Captain Mumbai FC Under-19, Rohail Shaikh who played for Maharashtra, Sheldon Raghvan former ONGC and currently with Ozone FC Bengaluru (I-League 2nd Division), Azzar Noorani former Under-20 Mumbai FC player (I-League) & currently with Team Air India and Denzil Mascarenhas, currently with Team Dena Bank. Another important and commendable shift that has occurred due to the club’s perseverance, is the sanguine perspective parents share with regards to their child’s future as a professional sportsman. The team trains thrice a week at Dr Norman Lewis (Supari Talao) ground and aim to break into the Super-Division category.
The best testimonies of the club’s impact on the lives of the players can be chronicled through the quotes by some of their players, Smit Devkar, 22 years, who has been with the club for the past 6 years states “The club’s ex-members still come to train and interact, which gives us great exposure and also inspires us to go the extra mile.” However, Jenish Satra, who has been with the club for the past 14 years sums it all up perfectly “The club, coach Kinny and all the players are like an extension of my family, and I have gathered great memories during my time here.”
Carmelites Sports Club is a self-funded institution and has organized a tournament to celebrate its golden jubilee. The tentative date (due to coronavirus concerns) to the event takes at Supari Talao ground place on the 18th & 19th of April and concludes the following weekend, on the 25th & 26th of April. All sports enthusiasts and prospective sponsors are invited to partake in this celebration that marks, Carmelites Sports Club’s glorious journey of 50 years dedicating to nurturing talent for the future.
