By James Persaud
Someone wise once said that there is no such thing as a stressful event, there is only the meaning that we give to the event. A great peace comes with accepting this, yet it is easier said than done. At times, it is easy to see. I love public speaking, yet to others it is incredibly stressful.
Eric Ferrier (center) pose with award and Southern Queens Park Association President Roger Scotland (right).
George Jessel once said that “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” There are many people who would agree with him. There are times, however, when it is not as easy to see.
New York Softball Cricket League President Mr. Eric Ferrier takes home the Visionary Award at the Southern Queens Park Association, Inc. 35th Anniversary Gala. Mr. Ferrier won for his vision and accomplishment of bringing people together and making those better people in their community.
Eric chooses to do his service for his community, by doing what he knows best-organizing softball cricket. After serving in many positions in the softball organization and working his way into being elected to the highest position as president. Eric was elected president of an ailing New York Softball Cricket League in 2006 by securing more than 90 percent of the votes cast.
Since taking the helm of the organization, he and his hardworking committee’s members were able to elevate the league to the premier softball cricket fraternity in the Tri-State area, and perhaps the entire United States. Under his leadership, the New York Softball Cricket League has won New York’s International competitions many times.
They have traveled to Florida and won that State’s premier competition four times. The achievement surpasses the accomplishments of all other softball cricket fraternities in the United States. When Eric took over the league, the organization consisted of 35 teams. Currently, the membership of the league stands at 62 teams, approximately 1200 players, and double that amount in family members and supporters.
Eric is driven by the philosophy that young people must be meaningfully engaged. This philosophy has motivated him to expand beyond the young adults that comprise the nucleus of his league, and to establish an academy under the nomenclature New York Cricket Youth Development Program. This program currently consists of more than 70 youths, ages 9 to 15.
Eric is a supervisor at his current job, where he has been employed for the past 19 years since migrating with his family from Guyana. Eric is married, and is the proud father of two daughters, and the grandfather of one. He currently represents the New York Softball Cricket League at SQPA’s stakeholder meetings and serves as an alternate to the organization’s corporate board.
I say all of this to say, that when you decide to close a specific chapter of a book make sure it’s closed for good. Don’t leave it on the shelf to go peeking back a couple of months later. Because we all know what the ending will be.
I say to Mr. Ferrier, on behalf of the entire NYSCL membership and especially the other Executives and committees members, congratulations for a job well done you deserve your award.