Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

162 LYSTRA LEWIS (1924-2009) W idely known as the Mother of Netball, Lystra Lewis attended Tranquillity Girls School and later Bedford College in England. Although she started her involvement in the game as a player, she excelled as a coach, umpire, tester and administrator. She served at all levels of the administration for the game, including President of West Indies Netball Board, President of the Caribbean Netball Association and President of the Americas Federation of Netball Associations. Her love for netball led her into coaching, and she went on to conduct many clinics and seminars throughout the Caribbean. Lewis founded the West Indies Netball Association in 1963, and coached the national team at the inaugural World Netball Championships in 1963. She assisted in the formation of the Caribbean Netball Association in 1974, and served as an executive member of the IFNA. It is said that she lived and breathed netball, making a successful bid to stage the fifth World Netball Championship here in 1979. She did everything for that 1979 tournament, first getting government to erect what is now known as the Jean Pierre Complex. And she was secretary, coach and whatever else was needed for that tournament. In the end, one of her biggest dreams came to fruition when her “Calypso Girls” netballers became the joint world champions in 1979. There is a collection of her material at the West Indiana and Special Collections Division at UWI. • 1963 Member of the British Empire (MBE) • 1969 Public Service Medal of Merit Silver LYNETTE ‘GRANNY’ LUCES (1928-2021) V eteran marathon runner Lynette “Granny” Luces, now in her 80’s is truly a hero and an inspiration. Her home in San Juan is adorned