…urges young people to stay away from criminal activities
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CITIZENS of St. Kitts and Nevis have for years been flying the Federation’s flag internationally, notably in the United States of America and Canada, and among them is Dr. George Somersall who is continuing that trend with his exploits in Martial Arts.
Dr Somersall, who is a native of the Federation, currently resides in the Bronx, New York area with his family, and SKNVibes News recently caught up with him for a sit down interview.
Nestled away in a quiet but friendly neighborhood with a number of other Caribbean nationals that he calls home, Dr. Somersall is a trailblazer in his own rights, paving the way for himself and nationals of the Federation.
He is a 9th Dan Black Belt Taekwondo professional, which is one of the rare feats heard globally, but is yet attainable. He has also been able to successfully complete a doctoral programme that sets him apart from the rest, after many years of hard work.
But he still remains humble and sticks to his first love of being a pharmacist.
So, who is Dr. Somersall and why is he so important?
Those are the questions to which SKNVibes News sought answers in order to highlight his exploits in the first of a series of feature articles on the success of Kittitians and Nevisians.
Like many, Somersall migrated to the United States 39 years ago where he started life afresh in an environment that is unbeknownst to himself and family, which changed several aspects of his life, but he was not willing to let go of his love for Martial Arts.
Starting out as a young boy in the Federation where he picked up a liking for the art form through the support of his family, more specifically, his elder brother, he maintained the love throughout the years that saw him slowly moving through the ranks like a lion waiting to pounce on its prey.
When the opportunity was presented to further enhance his skills, Dr. Somersall enthusiastically seized it. Since then, his exploits have seen him climb the ladder to become one of a few Black Belt officials who grade and recommend certifications for students in the tri-state area in the field of Martial Arts - more specifically, Taekwondo.
But despite his attention being in the United States, the love for St. Kitts and Nevis still burns brightly. It is for that reason he returns home frequently and lends his expertise in training exercises to impart knowledge to those who are interested in learning Martial Arts.
This, Dr. Somersall promised, he would continue to undertake so as to ensure young people are able to achieve success over time.
In order to achieve the success he has over the years, Somersall received support from his family and friends, including his elder brother Glen Somersall, whom he noted pushed and motivated him.
“I must give him all the thanks and praises,” he acknowledged.
Against that backdrop, he urged parents to give their children the opportunity to excel not only in academics, but also in sports and other extracurricular activities - bolstering their opportunity to be well-rounded citizens and residents for both their development and that of the Federation.
“I will always tell the parents to ensure that the kids are involved in some sport, and push them, because they can go a long way in sports. I know the first thing will always be education, but it is also important for them to have some sports background. Back home I was a junior pharmacist for Skerritt Pharmacy.”
Speaking to the possibility of expanding and diversifying the sport disciplines within the Federation, Somersall urged those in authority to utilize his services now to expand Martial Arts and Wrestling as a sport discipline to have more international presence at the major games, such as the Olympics.
“Because I am part of the committee, which is the Olympic Committee, they should use me. My teacher is also the Olympic Coach. And I am trying to get the kids back home into the Olympics, which I have the ability to do. Also, to travel to Korea and other places to see what it is all about in this sport,” he added.
Speaking to the topic of crime and violence, Somersall was disappointed as he reminisced on his time growing up where discipline was critical to everything, and respect was shown to all within the communities.
“I will tell the young people to get involved in something positive and not get involved in gangs. Try to get involved in some type of sport and stick with it and stay away from criminal activity. If they see problems coming towards them, try and let someone know,” Somersall advised.
The free-spirited Somersall expressed his desire to lend his expertise in the training of Police Officers in the areas of Combat and Self Defence so as to prevent some of the unacceptable behaviour of those officers who were caught on camera.
He is willing to return and conduct sessions with the Police Force to modernise the techniques of officers, once he has been given the approval by the Ministry of National Security and the Police Force.
In a simple chat about his life before our team departed, Dr. Somersall gave that friendly Kittitian wave as he acknowledged his neighbour on a damp, chilly day in New York.
He is hopeful that his exploits would continue to be a beacon for the next generation of Kittitians and Nevisians to take the bold step and launch themselves out and be successful.
SKNVibes News salutes you and all of the hardworking folks from the Federation who continue to proudly fly the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis.
