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Jack Austin Warner was born in Rio Claro, South Trinidad on January 26, 1943. Warner and his three sisters and two brothers were almost single-handedly brought up by their mother Stella, a simple, hard working woman with a firm belief in God. It is perhaps this upbringing which cemented the fighting spirit in the man who would eventually become one of the most successful businessmen in the Caribbean and a well loved and respected politician.
The young Warner attended the St Theresa's Roman Catholic School in Rio Claro and later when his parents moved to Longdenville in 1953, he was transferred to the Primary school in the area. It is here that he got first hand taste for rural life, an experience that has brought value to his role as Parliamentary representative. Warner got a scholarship from Trinidad Clay Products to attend the College of St Phillip's and St James which in 1958 was changed to Presentation College, Chaguanas. He later attended the Mausica Teachers Training College and the University of the West Indies where he obtained his degree in history in 1967. He became the TTFA secretary in 1973 where he stayed for the next 16 years until he tendered his resignation in 1990. During that period, Warner became the strong man of football in the country. He also serves as President of the Caribbean Football Union and special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and was reelected as President of CONCACAF at the Congress in Antigua on May 9th,2004. Anyone can tell you that this man has been a massive influence in T&T's football over the years and is indeed the "Godfather" to our current World Cup heroes. He has put his money where his mouth is and has never failed to deliver for the Leo Beenhakker coached team. "Keep the Faith" has been his famous line throughout this campaign and in fact, he and the rest of the T&T Football Family enjoyed their long searched fate - Germany 2006!
In the 2007 General Elections of Trinidad and Tobago, Jack Warner answered the call of thousands to contest the electoral constituency of Chaguanas West. He decided to leave the shallow safe waters of entrepreneurial life to enter the political fray. In that election, Warner swept the polls with a landslide victory. He tallied some 11,140 votes; with the nearest rival trailing with some 5280. Warner fought the election as one of the Deputy Leaders of the UNC, having won that position some two years before, in the internal elections of the party. He has so far, become one of the frontline speakers for the Opposition in Parliament. From the no confidence motion against the Prime Minister in 2008 to the Budget debate, Warner has promoted himself as one of the foremost debaters in the land. As a representative of the people, he remains accessible to thousands despite his obligations abroad. He has certainly touched the lives of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, with and without his political hat.

 
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About the Centre of Excellence

The Preferred Venue, Perfect Any Time.

The Dr. João Havelange Centre of Excellence is dedicated to just that, excellence not solely in sport, but in life. The complex was a vision of Austin Jack Warner, President of CONCACAF and was named in honour of Dr. João Havelange, the Brazilian-born former President of the FIFA (1974-1998).

The Centre is a flexible, multi-purpose facility capable of hosting a range of functions and events. In fact, the complex has staged everything from live television broadcasts of international football matches to weddings and birthday parties.

At its core, the Centre is a hub of football education, expertise and skills training, catering to the needs of players, both club and national teams, sports officials, referees and other stakeholders, with a mission to achieve a sustained level of excellence in every aspect of the game.

The Centre of Excellence offers the best of both worlds - cool, comfortable indoor facilities and breezy, tropical outdoor facilities - so no matter what atmosphere your event calls for; we've got the ideal space!

It is the preferred venue - perfect anytime!