compiled by Spectator Sports Desk
Dajari Barthley has enjoyed a breakthrough year that reads like the opening chapter of something bigger.
A composed and intelligent central midfielder, he has balanced his development between Bede’s Senior School and Villa Lions FC with rare maturity. In the engine room of midfield, where matches are often quietly won and lost, Dajari operates with vision and discipline, dictating tempo, linking play, and leading by example well beyond his years.
Statistically, the year tells its own story. Eight goals and two assists underline his growing influence in the final third. For a central midfielder, those numbers are not decorative; they are decisive. They reflect timing, awareness, and the confidence to step forward when the moment calls.
Among his major milestones was being called up to train with the National Senior Team. For any young footballer, that invitation signals more than opportunity. It signals belief. It is recognition that his talent is not only promising but progressing toward the highest level.
The primary challenge he faced this year was maintaining his standards regardless of opposition. Whether competing against top-tier teams or perceived weaker sides, he refused to lower his intensity. That refusal to coast speaks volumes. Consistency, after all, is the true currency of elite sport.
If he were to describe his year in one word, it would be promising. A season of growth. A season of recognition. A season that feels less like arrival and more like lift-off, with the sky wide and waiting.
Back-to-back nominations for Junior Sportsman of the Year mean a great deal to Dajari. To him, it represents affirmation that the unseen work matters. The early mornings. The extra sessions. The discipline. The sacrifices. Every repetition, every recovery run, every quiet decision to stay focused adds up. Recognition becomes fuel, not comfort.
Should he capture the Junior Award, it would stand at the pinnacle of his achievements to date. He is fully aware that fellow nominees are equally dedicated to their respective disciplines. For him, victory would not be personal glory alone. It would affirm that he is contributing meaningfully to his country and honour the collective effort of family, coaches, teammates, and mentors who have shaped his journey.
The 2025 National Sports Award ceremony is scheduled for March 1, 2026. Last March, at the 32nd edition of the National Sports Award, Antigua and Barbuda Athletic Association’s Tyra Fenton captured the Junior Sportswoman of the Year title, while the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association’s Jewel Andrew captured the Junior Sportsman of the Year title.