When the Baltimore Ravens take to the field in New Orleans this Sunday, Caribbean football fans will have an added impetus to cheer.
That’s because a son of the Caribbean – Ramon Harewood of St. Michael, Barbados, will play in the Super Bowl match-up.
Harewood, the offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, is a seven-year veteran of the sport and graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. The 6-foot, 6.5”, 341-pound Harewood, transferred from the University of the West Indies to Morehouse on a on full academic scholarship, with hopes of becoming an engineer.
He was then a frequent runner, volleyball, cricket and rugby player with his only exposure to American football being via watching the games on television.
But at Morehouse, all that changed. Harewood’s football potential could not be ignored by Michael Grant, assistant coach of the Morehouse College football team and he quickly learned the game by watching from the sidelines.
He played just two games on defense in the 2006 season, moved to offense in 2007 and less than three years later he achieved All-American honors which ultimately led to his 2010 NFL draft pick and athletic sponsorship with Nike.
“It is with extreme pride that I step onto the field for Super Bowl XLVII representing God, my family, the Baltimore Ravens and my native country of Barbados,” commented Harewood. “The strong academic foundation and diverse athletic training I received growing up in Barbados has enabled me to achieve success on many levels as an adult.”
Meanwhile, following the Super Bowl, Harewood and famed teammates Michael Oher, Ray Rice, Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin and Ladarius Webb plan to head back to his homeland of Barbados to lead a football training camp for children this Spring, sponsored by The Barbados Tourism Authority.
“It is very important for me to be seen as a positive role model for all Bajan youth and I am thrilled for the opportunity to host my first annual football camp on the island I call home,” commented Harewood.
In conjunction with Sports Development Institute, (SDI), a division of G3 Sports Marketing, LLC, the company strives to provide youth and teens exciting opportunities for growth and development physically, socially, mentally and emotionally while improving their leadership and communication skills.
“The Barbados Tourism Authority is thrilled Ramon Harewood will be representing his home town of Barbados in Super Bowl XLVII this weekend,” said Campbell Rudder, Vice President Marketing USA of the Barbados Tourism Authority. “Ramon’s success and achievements coupled with his proud heritage continue to inspire Barbadians nationwide. We wish him and the Baltimore Ravens the best of luck in taking home the Championship title on Sunday!”
The other Caribbean national on the team, Raven’s Ryan McBean, 28 is 6′ 5″, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, is on the reserved list for Baltimore Raven. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma State and has also played for the Denver Broncos. He started 14 games for the Broncos in 2009 and led all defensive tackles by playing in 58 percent of the snaps last season, when he had a career-most four sacks. He makes about $1.2 million a year and has a 4.98 seconds 40-yard dash.
