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Jared Bennett hails from Mahaica, Point Fortin, “the mecca of many athletes in T&T”. After aspiring to play professional football on the international scene, he got the opportunity in his early 20s. Following some stints in Europe and the US on his football journey, he returned to Trinidad and began using his experiences, training and skills to start Body By Ben TT. Jared’s story reinforces the importance of being resilient, flexible and positive amid the challenges and a pandemic.

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I was raised in an extended family who encouraged physical activity, having been involved in a lot of sporting activities when they were growing up. Swimming, track and field and table tennis were the sports I loved initially but it was football that  I really held close to my heart. Playing in my yard with my older brother Jomal, will forever be a pleasant memory. I am grateful to him for all my football experiences and success, especially in my early years .

From the age of 7 to 29, football was the ‘be all and end all’ in  my life. I did the secondary school football circuit with St Benedict’s College and Naparima College but south-based Point Fortin Civic FC was my very first football club. I played with the likes of Aubrey David, Akeem Adams and others, who really made me enjoy team sports. I also had some success locally with W. Connection. Even so, I always aspired to play professionally in Europe. That became a reality in 2015 in Finland and 2019 in Iceland, with some trips to Ireland, Sweden and the US in between. I also had a stint with the Beach Soccer National Team in 2017, on their World Cup qualifying campaign. As you can see, I was drawn to football in a real way.

A turning point….I didn’t stop playing

2015 was truly a turning point in my life. I was signed to AC Kajanni of Finland and I felt like I was finally getting what I dreamed of. After a successful tour of Sweden and Finland, they scouted me and signed me. They flew me home to Trinidad to pack in preparation to be there for the 8-month season. However, two weeks after my return, I was told that I couldn’t be registered due to some internal issues being experienced by the club. Being the last player to sign, I had to be released. 

Obviously devastated, I had the choice of returning home or finding another team in Finland. I decided to stay; sleeping in hostels, going on trials with interest from every team I went to. But, due to immigration issues, I could not be signed “officially” for an extended period. On my trials, I slept on friends’ couches and did what was necessary. I remember Ciro, a Jamaican-Finnish guy and another player of Chad-Finnish descent, became like my brothers during this time. They were instrumental in helping me to actually find a team and play on a regular basis. I am forever grateful to these two individuals.

As tumultuous as that experience was, I didn’t stop playing. When I returned home, it was difficult to play with the local teams. Settling into teams didn’t seem to go well. In 2016, I spent some time in Ireland but that experience was not very successful. It was only in 2019, after playing and working part time at BPTT and some other places, even as a bartender at one point, that I really got the most fulfilling football experience to date. Signing to UMF Einherji of Iceland. Thanks to connections made by a friend Keston, on a previous visit, I was able to be seen and signed. 

The good and the bad

Housing, a vehicle, and a few other perks, were some of the blessings I valued greatly from that stint. Living for several months in one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever seen and finishing the highest the team has been in several years, was also a feat that was worth it as well. Although very beautiful, both Finland and Iceland are soooo different. There was the good and the bad. In Finland, I experienced a bit of racism whilst playing a friendly game. Being called a “n&@ger” by a frustrated opponent and seeing people clutching their bags when I walked by, were some of the unpleasant experiences. 

Iceland was different. Icelandic people were more welcoming and knowledgeable about Trinidad and Tobago because of Dwight Yorke and Kenwyne Jones. They love Kenwyne Jones. His stature and presence were always mentioned. The cold temperatures, however, were sometimes extreme. As low as below 0° C were some of the lows and 28° C being some highs, in the summer. Einherji, my Icelandic team’s football pitch was located on the top of a mountain, so the low temperatures and wind were tough. I developed a different appreciation for coffee, especially during half time of matches. Living and playing in even colder temperatures in Finland, one day being out at  -22°C, prepared me for Iceland. 

I also noticed that Europeans are usually shy but under the influence of alcohol, some may not be at all. All in all, I really enjoyed living there. 

Changing course

What changed my entire world around was the unfortunate and untimely passing of my dad in 2017 from  an aneurism. That really made me understand the importance of staying fit, being aware of my health and wellness, being more of a doer than a “sayer” , and being more influential to those around me about their health. This I can say is the main reason I am a certified fitness trainer today. To be an inspiration to not only athletes but everyone. To  understand and be aware of the importance of health and wellness are my current priorities.

COVID 19, however, was the real career changer for me. Body By Ben TT was officially established on May 1, 2020. The stagnation and frustrations that came with the lockdown, motivated me to make the transition. To this day, I do not regret the  move. It started with recording myself while just  trying to stay in shape to going live on Instagram, then to launching my business. In the process, I successfully completed an online course to become a certified fitness trainer. I also became a certified masseur in 2021 and acquired other relevant skills.

The adjustment from being a professional footballer to personal trainer was easier than expected. Encouraging EVERYONE to celebrate what their body can do, is my intended lifelong goal. My father’s passing and seeing multiple lives being limited due to inactivity, spur me on. I always use the analogy of brushing your teeth and link it to movement. If you don’t brush your teeth daily you’d lose them eventually so intentionally moving your body daily will improve your life physically and mentally. It’s a trusted and proven fact. 

My inspiration

My son, Jae, my mother, brother, best friend and even my partner, all feed me the necessary energy to execute all tasks I put my mind toward. But, a lot of my inspiration right now comes from the clients themselves. The physical and mentally changes and the fact that they depend on me now and trust me with their fitness journey, I don’t take them for granted at all. Whether it was an interaction or years of training them, people give me the energy to learn more, do more and teach more. I hope to be some sort of spark in whichever life I come across in a positive way. People inspire me, so there’s endless inspiration around. 

Professionally, I look up to Dr Sheldon Williams, a chiropractor who I met about ten years ago. Although we met through a simple chiropractic visit, the way he communicated, explained and operated, triggered something in me that I never paid much attention to. His desire to genuinely help people and the way he did it, will always remain with me. These approaches are at the forefront of my mind when working with clients and friends. There are also some professionals who have been a driving force in some way or form.

I hope that platforms such as this one,  would definitely help in making others more aware and knowledgeable about different journeys and circumstances people overcame. Some guidance is always helpful to help build a community to let other young black men know that they’re not alone. 

To my teenage self, I would say:

Take nothing for granted. Embrace and enjoy all your wins, the small and large but be sure to learn all the necessary lessons from your losses. Those are the best teachers and would stop you from making the same mistake repeatedly. 

To the teenager who is at that juncture of ending school life and starting a career, please embrace and enjoy the process of figuring things out. Experiences that you may think have no relevance or are not related to where you think you’d like to be, are definitely shaping your future. Timelines are always good for goal setting but you come to realise that your journey is your own and it will all reveal itself in time. Social media adds extra pressure to most of us, not revealing the journey of most but only the wins. Stay true to your passions but also be open to tapping into your other skills and talents. Life has a funny way of making the best of both worlds collide. 

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Jared is a former student of St Catherine’s Preparatory School in Point Fortin, Beach Camp in Palo Seco, and St Benedict’s and Naparima Colleges in south Trinidad. He pursued Communication Studies at The UWI, St Augustine and is a certified television and radio broadcaster.