Malik St. Prix has always wanted to play football at the top ranks of the competitive sport. This love and passion for the game has enabled the 25-year-old professional player to gain contracts in regional football leagues and the European Football League competition.
Malik readily admits that a sort of football frenzy runs through his veins—and his ultimate aim is to ply his skills across the globe.
He is a product of the La Clery community. The suburban locality on the outskirts of Castries has been an avid football community and has produced some of the island’s best footballers over the past decades. Malik is a graduate of the former Gros Islet Secondary School (GISS), now the island’s first-ever sports academy.
However, the transition into a professional player was no easy task and he had to work hard to earn his stripes. According to Malik, he was sort of a “show off” on the field of play during his early elementary school years, thus earning him the nickname ‘Showtyme’. But that did not go down too well with the team coach and so the teenage prodigy had to sit out matches on the bench.
Despite that initial setback, he did not let up and continued to pursue his goal of becoming a top footballer even more fervently.
Recalling that experience, Malik laments that he was upset with the coach not allowing him to play, because “football is for everyone, right, even females…and I was doing my school work now and then, but I wanted to just play football. I got the name ‘Showtyme’ from coach Ras Isley, in La Clery. He saw me as his marksman …whenever I’m on the ball, I try to do something ‘out of this world’. Just try something and sometimes it works. ”
From as young as eight, the young Malik was attracted to the sport and became more keenly interested while watching football matches on TV. He lists former professionals like Steven Gerrard – of Liverpool fame – and the Brazilian soccer star, Ronaldinho as his football heroes at the time.
And as his interest in the sport peaked, Malik began to contemplate seeking out a career in football. “When I realized that people do get paid to play football, I decided to make it my profession,” he recalls.
Interestingly, Malik says, he had once aspired to becoming a veterinarian. He even got the support of his mother to pursue that field since he loved and cared for animals, especially dogs. “But then football came along and the veterinarian was out the door, for sure,” he declares, almost gleefully.
What opportunities has the young professional attained from his involvement in the sport of football? Malik has represented the St. Lucia national team over a seven-year period “on numerous occasions”, he says, “and scored goals for them.”
Since venturing further afield into professional club football, he cherishes his initial stint playing for W Connection, in Trinidad, where, according to him, “I won trophies and played for about five years. That was wonderful! These were the best years of my life in football.”
Malik took on his first professional contract with W Connection for an initial two years, but his hard- working and exemplary performances did not go unnoticed. Basking in the limelight of those early ‘glory days’ as a young professional, he exclaims: “I was doing well and so they offered me another contract for three years.”
Malik delightedly recalls his accomplishments during those years. “We won the CONCACAF Champions League, CFU League, Digicel Cup, and several other trophies.”
His impressive football resume includes signing a contract to play in Honduras for two-years and a transfer to W Connection in 2019. He has also played in other leagues, such as in Mexico and Honduras.
What has been Malik’s favourite place to play, so far? “My favaourite places would be in Mexico, Honduras and Antigua,” he says.
His new football agent had an input in getting him into the European football league, where he played for Pepoedustus in Lappeenranta, Finland. Malik is excited about this move to the wider world of sport and “anxious and ready” to go again since according to him, he has been playing professionally for about two and a half to three years.
During that time, Malik says he has been keenly anticipating another move coming round the corner. As he explains, “Because opportunities weren’t coming as yet, and I was working towards it for those three years, I was in St. Lucia training with the national team, hoping and waiting for my opportunity to come .”
Malik attests to the divine intervention of his Creator as being influential in his development as a footballer, with added support along the way from persons such as “my family for sure and my girlfriend. She always keeps it at 100 percent, no matter what. She keeps me going for sure.”
Has the young professional had to overcome any negative experiences in his career? It has not been all ‘smooth sailing,’ he says, and mentioned some things that have concerned him. “Leaving your family behind and traveling overseas to meet with people that you don’t know …and getting injuries. I do not get injured frequently, but when I do it is hard. To recover requires both a mental and physical process.”
On his training regime, Malik says, “I train every day and I cannot miss a day, although, I mean you also have to rest and recuperate to get back in action. The only rest day that I get is sometimes on Sundays.” And when it comes to his ‘down time’ or free time, Malik says, chuckling, that he spends the time “watching football” on TV or watching movies with his family and girlfriend.
Malik says that presently, he is not too contented about what’s happening with the national team and may consider making a comeback and training with the squad if there is a proper structure in place for things to work out better for players, with a level of support and cooperation from the management and technical unit.
When the opportunity arises for Malik to continue his football pursuits, he says it won’t be too difficult to move with his family as he has gone through that experience before.
Next in line for Malik is travel plans to Finland, where he is expected to take up another contract.
What are his aspirations for further development as a professional footballer in the next five to 10 years? He plans to continue making an impact in football. “I would like to play in England, preferably for Manchester City.”
How can Malik help to motivate younger players to take a keener interest in the game and remain focused?
“Firstly, you have to believe in your Higher Power (God) … You have to work on your craft and you have to be determined, hungry for success, for progress. You have to work hard—blood, sweat and tears, and listen to yourself … keep yourself amongst positive people, people that will move you forward. Stay away from negative people as they will bring you down for sure, and strive for greatness and don’t ever give up.”
