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sport
Professional
mentality needed by Maltese athletes
Horse-racing enthusiast Kenneth Vella believes that both the Nationalist
and Labour governments have worked hard in order to improve sport,
especially with the building of sport facilities. But he believes
that more has to be done. He speaks about his ideas to RAY ABDILLA.
"With the building of new facilities, we need to install in
our athletes a professional mentality. I believe that this is lacking.
Training must be taken more seriously and athletes must avoid smoking
an alcohol, which run against sports.
“Apart from this, in our schools sport must be given the importance
it deserves. I hope that with the implementation of the new National
Minimum Curriculum sport will be considered a major subject and
not put aside."
27-year old Kenneth Vella, who is married to Lorraine nee Pace,
is not just an Italian teacher at the De La Salle College, but is
also a former General Secretary and current member of the Malta
Racing Club committee; former PRO and present General Secretary
of the Ghaqda Dilettanti Ponijiet, Assistant Secretary of the Ghaqda
Kittieba Sport, Co-ordinator with Skola Sport; former Secretary
of the Motor Sport Policy committee; former PRO of the Regatta Commission
and the Marsa complex co-ordinating board.
Kenneth is also sport journalist with PBS Ltd, specialising in horse
racing and is also horse racing correspondent for two international
magazines: Trottatore, of Italy, and Trot Magazine, of Canada.
Kenneth was brought up in Qormi, where the majority of people are
interested in the equestrian sport. From the age of five, his parents
would take him to the races at the Marsa race track. His relatives
and friends were also directly involved in the sport as owners,
drivers and trainers.
Apart from horse-racing, he also loves football - especially the
Italian league.
"My favourite team is Inter, even though over the last months
the team has not had good results. I also like to watch cycling,
my father Carmelo was the National champion during the 60's and
he even participated in the Mediterranean games. I also follow rowing
Formula 1, especially the Ferrari team.”
Asked how he finds the time, he explains, "It's difficult to
calculate and sometimes I have to wake up early and sleep late to
cover all my work.
“My life is divided into three aspects: first family, then
education and then sport and media. I consider sport as an integral
part of my life and when I have time I also try to search in the
Internet for more information."
He started his career as a sports journalist in March 1992 at the
age of 18 with Radio One Live. In those days Albert Fenech had administered
the sports section and he was the assistant of the horse racing
commentator, Joe de Leonardo. Later, in June 1992, he heard that
John Demanuele wouldno longer comment on horse racing. Accordingly,
he wrote to the chairman of the then Xandir Malta, Mannie Spiteri.
After a few days had elapsed, Mr Spiteri phoned him and invited
him to speak to the former Head of Sport, Michael Darmanin.
He was told that he had been chosen to be Radio Malta's horse racing
correspondent and was also appointed assistant producer of the programme
Korsa, with Twanny Bugeja. He still produces Korsa with Twanny,
which is transmitted every week on TVM and Channel 12.
He was additionally given the opportunity to do other sport coverages,
such as daily sport news and commenting on the small nation ‘s
games in Liechtenstein and other events like the Grand National
and the Prix d'Amerique.
For a period of time he also had the opportunity to work at the
news center thanks to the support that he received from PBS officials
of the likes of Tony Mallia and managers like Paul Azzopardi, Joe
Dimech, Joe Flask and Alfred Musu. PBS consists of full time workers
full of experience and he likes the family environment at PBS.
When asked why Malta only has trotting races, Kenneth said that,
until the 1980's there were also flat races and the most important
event on the island was the Mediterranean Derby Open for flat horses.
What happened is that in 1981, the Marsa Race Track was re-structured
and a lot of people believed that with more narrow curves it suited
more the trotting than the flat races.
Regarding how horse racing is compared with the foreign field, Mr
Vella said that until some years ago the difference between local
races and others in France or Sweden was rather a big one. But over
the last few years, with the importation of new quality horses from
Scandinavia and France, the local sport has improved.
“Regarding our drivers, I do not see to much difference. We
must remember that the European Apprenticed driver champions is
a Maltese one, Gozitan Tony Cauchi while other drivers such as Andrew
Pace, Ray Clifton, Charles Degiorgio and David Ellul also obtained
good results in the international field. Unfortunately, in Malta
we don't have any breeding farms and so, as regards horses, we still
depend on other countries."
Kenneth, also loves music with his favourite singer being Amadeo
Minghi and favourite group is Depeche Mode.
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