By Gerald V. Paul

It’s one of the holy grails of sporting cups and for an all-too-brief time it was in our newsroom.

Dwayne De Rosario, who recently ended his soccer career and now serves as ambassador for F C and the Pan Am 2015 Games, brought the Gold Cup to The Camera office yesterday and invited Publisher Anthony Joseph to touch the cup on its first-ever visit to Canada.

De Rosario, Canadian born of Guyanese parents, represented Canada at five CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup tournaments (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2011) and was named Canadian Player of the Year on four occasions (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2011).

He was a member of CONCACAF gold medal team in 2000 and was named to Canada’s all-time best X1.

De Rosario was here to invite members of the community to CONCACAF Gold Cup 2015 matches at BMO Fields on Tuesday, July 14 at 6 p.m. for the Jamaica vs. El Salvador and Canada vs. Costa Rica games.

“Unfinished business was to bring this city (Toronto) a championship and I mean that as a player but I still have those goals in mind and still that dream at heart,” the man who was 2011 MLS MVP repeatedly told us.

So what’s he up to these days?

De Rosario played his final game with MLS at the Dwayne De Rosario Testimonial Match last Saturday at BMO Field.

“I am travelling to various countries with the DeRo United Programs concept. The mission is to create a positive and fun environment for kids to achieve their full potential,” De Rosario said.

He the program focuses on helping youth (age 4-17 years) develop their soccer skills in a professional environment, with an emphasis on individual development using the W5H system, an inter-active and theoretical system that is used in practical training sessions to promote thought and reasoning.

“The W5H system focuses on helping players better understand their decisions and decision-making process on the field, while creating the opportunity for them to develop greater technique, speed, strength, confidence, leadership and discipline,” said De Rosario who grew up in an at-risk challenged neighbourhood in Scarborough and is now giving back to similar areas.

Growing up, De Rosario played the majority of his soccer years in Scarborough, coached by his father Tony De Rosario, a Certified B National Coach.

The partnership between father and son has led to an accumulation of knowledge and experience that has inspired the creation of the DeRo-velopment and Power Training Program.

His advice to young people?

“Hard work is the key to success. Find a balance in your life. If you are interested in sports, make sure you get your education.”

For more information on the Gold Cup series, including the full schedule, visit www.concacaf.com.