Appreciation: Charlie Mock

I’ve written a number of appreciations over the years. Many provide some difficulties. I would sometimes think: “Should I mention this or the other? Am I being a hypocrite?” I would rather leave something out than be that. I can sincerely say that I have absolutely none of these difficulties with Charlie Mock. There were two intertwined priorities in his life: sport and education. “My boys” was his call throughout. I was lucky that our paths crossed time and again over many years; at least until the cruel pandemic intervened. As a young boy I admired him in the then Balluta WPC goalposts and at national level. His was not my club and it is common in sport to taunt and even, unfortunately, insult the opposite side and its players. But I do not recall Charlie ever being at the receiving end. He was too much of a gentleman and a sportsman. During my time as president of Neptunes WPSC he not only trained, but nurtured the young boys (as he did at many other clubs over the years). Everybody had his place and importance. Those who could barely swim were not discarded but taught by him to swim. Once he told me happily: “I found a goalkeeper for you”. That 12-year-old goalkeeper kept...