Russell "Multi-Talented" Moreau

He stands at 6ft 4in tall, but with his relatively quiet demeanor, he can be deceptively unassuming.

However, Russell Moreau showcases a bagful of talents ranging from cricket to garment manufacturing to basketball, and from gymnastics to officiating basketball. All of that, and more, is neatly packaged in ambidextrous Russell.

The Basketballer: One of nine siblings Russell became interested in basketball when, as a youngster, he used watch national league games at the Windsor Park in the early 1970s. Subsequently he and some friends 'introduced' basketball to Pottersville, using a Glory Cedar tree on the side of Steber Street as a basketball upright, and the circular frame of a wooden chair as the rim!!

Russell entered the national basketball league around 1977 or '78, and over a span of some 15 or so years he played with 5 teams, all in the top level (Division I) of the league. He debuted with Rockers then moved over to Cardinals on the invitation of Trevor 'Hola' Knight. He was selected for trials to the national team while on Cardinals.

His next three teams were Ambassadors, followed by J.K. Eagles, and finally Harks. He played centre with all his teams.

While on Cardinals and Harks he participated in his teams' tours to Martinique and Grenada respectively, to engage in 'friendlies'.

Outside of the national league, Russell played with Steber Street in the Pottersville Basketball League (1987, 1988), and later with Jordan Wall in the Fond Colé League in the 1990s.

The Referee: Basketball is one of Russell's passions, and so some time before retiring from playing in the national league he took up refereeing, debuting in the inaugural Pottersville Basketball League.

He later enlisted in the then active Dominica Basketball Officials Association in January 1995 and has been refereeing ever since – minus a 1-year break. With his many years of officiating under his belt, Russell was honoured by the Dominica Amateur Basketball Association in 2012 for rendering 25 years of service to the sport as a referee, up to that time. Apart from officiating National League and School League games, Russell officiated in the basketball segment of the 1999 Windward Islands Schools Games which were staged in Dominica, and in 'Off-Season' Leagues at Fond Colé, Goodwill, Pottersville and Trafalgar.

Russell's most recent officiating assignments were in the first-ever Kelver Darroux Basketball League which was staged in St. Joseph in mid-2018.

Having officiated as part of both 2-man and 3-man teams, Russell thinks that each "system" has its advantages and shortcomings. He also believes that Dominican players today have a better understanding of the laws of the game, but overall he enjoys refereeing, which he is still doing today for over three decades now.

The Gymnast: Another of Russell's sporting passions was gymnastics which he started from age 9 years, and together with friends Glenford, "Tronada", Fraser, Gerard Benjamin, "Ziko" and Roland John, did tumbling, pyramids and floor exercises, mainly for fun. Russell recalls receiving a performance fee for displaying his skills at Carib Cinema before the start of Sunday night movies. He and his crew also performed at a National Day Cultural Gala at Botanic Gardens.

Most importantly, Russell occasionally entertained basketball crowds at Windsor Park with his tumbling, flips, etc. before he debuted in the League.

Garment Manufacturer & Tailor: Although Russell has been heavily involved in various sports, his profession is actually garment manufacturing and tailoring. He has been involved in the trade for over four decades now and is the proprietor of Moreau's Uniforms & Garment Manufacturers.

In the late 1970s and 1980s Russell used his skills to manufacture basketball uniforms for Ambassadors, Cardinals, Jordan Wall and Hoyas III. He also taught Tailoring, and Garment Manufacturing, in the Ministry of Education's Summer School programme annually, from 1984 through 2002.

The Softball Cricketer: Russell is well known among Dominica's cricket fraternity as a leading softball cricketer because he has been playing the sport for over 40 years now. His teams have won several championships, and he personally amassed a whopping 26 individual awards along the way. He played with Potters, then Alcons and currently Conals (for over 20 years now).

He also served on the executive of the Dominica Softball Cricket Association in the 1990s, and represented Dominica on the National Softball Cricket Team.

Russell in Other Sports: As an all-rounder Russell also played football with Potters in the National Football League and in the Pottersville Football League. Moreover, he is an avid domino player, and loves draughts and other indoor sports.

Remarks: The above is the bulging "package" that is Russell Moreau: garment manufacturer, cricketer, gymnast, footballer, and basketball player & official. He continues to make his contribution towards national development, including basketball, other sports, and more.