WHEN Calvin (Cal) Simons was singled out recently as the Omega Citizen of the Year, a thousand or more voices echoed grand encores. They were from grateful parents, guardians and others who over the past two decades have benefited directly or indirectly from the selfless efforts of coach Simons.

The local branch of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, comprised of graduates of Howard University in Washington, DC, dispatched three of its members to West End School to present a beautifully inscribed plaque to Simons, acknowledging his dedicated work in the school system during and after regular hours as well as weekends and holidays.

Cal spends a considerable amount of time coaching track and field for the Bermuda Pacers Track Club as well as refereeing in the regular domestic league. For the past 23 years he has been a coach in track and field, and has been refereeing for the last 16 years.

Additionally, he organises many road races and track meets. He is the organiser and co-race director of the Telford Electric Magic Mile, which this year will be its tenth year at the National Stadium. Close to 1,000 children between the ages of four and 15 enthusiastically participate in the race. The Telford Mile actually started 12 years ago in Somerset, and when it grew so intensely the Pacers Club was asked to take it to the National Stadium.

Simons is heavily involved in island-wide school sports and is chairman of the Bermuda School Sports Federation Limited that comprises a group of physical education teachers primarily. He is responsible for organising and hosting events in the public schools.

Originally from Devonshire, in his younger days he played for a while with Warwick United Football Club, and later played rugby for Teachers Rugby Club for five or six years, until he was aged 20, when he went abroad to school attending the University of Toledo, Ohio. He spent five years there graduating with a degree in physical education and health education.

Since 1981 he has been on staff at West End School as a physical education and co-ordinating teacher.

"Sports has always been a major part of my life, from when I was very young," said the 48-year-old coach. While he never gained significant individual honours or set any records, he could always be counted on to be a studied participant and great team player.

He has been married 21 years to Joan, a teacher at St. John's Pre-School. They have three daughters Calvina, 20, Kaleah, 16, and 14-year-old Jakea.

None of the Simons daughters are members of the Pacers Club, Simons admits, but they are avid followers of his varied efforts. They are more inclined towards music and singing, he says, which is a passion of their mother.

OMEGA'S plaque citing his dedicated service to youth and the community is temporarily kept in the trophy cabinet at West End School. The cabinet is loaded with trophies dating back to the time when Randy Horton (now Minister of Home Affairs) and Lionel Turner headed the athletic programme.

The school during the tenure of Coach Simons has won numerous primary school football championships and cross-country championships. They won the Front Street Mile trophy eight years in a row. Generations of students from West End have been extremely athletic, Jay Donova being a shining example.