As one of the Island?s top all-round athletes, Clevie Wade took his cricket and football very seriously.

During a distinguished sports career, Wade?s fierce competitiveness led him to just about every cup title there was to be won in local cricket and football at various clubs.

And it is this same mental approach and desire to succeed which has helped elevate Southampton Rangers? cricket to dizzying heights over the past seven years.

Since his arrival at Southampton Oval as coach in 1999, Wade has coached Rangers to three Premier Division championships, three Belco Cups, a Premier Division KO Cup crown and claimed the Western Counties Cup on numerous occasions.

Wade inherited a Rangers team loaded with potential and experience knocking on the door of success.

?It was a good, experienced team but they (Rangers) just couldn?t get to the next level. So bringing my experience from St.George?s really helped to motivate and make them sit up and become more responsible cricketers,? the former St.George?s skipper told .

In 1983 Wade led St.George?s to Cup Match glory over John Tucker?s Somerset at Somerset Cricket Club.

Wade now coaches Tucker?s son, Janeiro, at the Oval.

?I got the players to believe in themselves . . . that they can be champions. But they had to put in the hard work and dedication,? Wade added.

?That is something I laid on them in training from day one and I can remember losing our first game that year (against Cleveland) but we went undefeated for the remainder of the season and won the league. It took us one step at a time but the players believed in themselves and started playing at a higher level.

?And we have been there ever since. But first the guys had to believe in themselves and put the necessary work in. You have to put the work in to get something out of it and since I?ve been there the guys have always shown up for pre-season training focused and ready to go.?

Another hurdle Wade helped Rangers overcome was finding a way to get past arch rivals Western Stars, a team with whom Wade won several KO Cups after moving from the East End.

?They just couldn?t get by Stars or other teams which were dominating at the time,? he said. ?They didn?t have a plan or go into the game with any real preparation or strategies. So these are some of things I had to emphasise and drill into the players.?

Wade possesses an England and Wales Level One coaching certificate.

The son of former St.George?s cricketer, Cal Wade, his cricket talents were first spotted by Barbados-born fast bowler George Rock and former national coach Bob Jones. Bay fast bowler Rock recognised Wade?s talents as a 12-year-old.

?I had just finished primary school (St.George?s Prep) and George Rock invited me to train with the Under 19 national squad,? Wade recalled. ?He really helped bring me along.?

Wade was voted Young Cricketer of the Year in 1975, made his Cup Match debut for St.George?s in 1977 and played for Bermuda at the ICC Trophy in 1979, 1986 and 1994.

In 1984 he scored a memorable 127 against Viv Richards? Antigua at Somerset ? three years after scoring the winning penalty for Vasco da Gama at the former National Stadium that ended Somerset Trojans? unbeaten FA Cup final streak.

Wade is also assistant coach of Bermuda?s Under 19 national cricket squad.

?My goal is to take my coaching as far as possible,? he said.

Last season witnessed Rangers carry off the Premier Division limited overs title, KO Cup title and Belco Cup.

And so far this season the South Shore club have retained their Belco Cup title and added the Premier Division Two-Day league championship to their trophy cabinet.

So what is Wade?s secret to success?

?I always stress to the players other team?s weaknesses and strengths,? he revealed. ?After training every Thursday night we discuss our opponents and plan how to deal with them. And over a period of time this has helped the guys move to the next level.?

Having won every domestic title as a player and a coach, Wade said it was the players themselves who helped keep him motivated to give up his free time to coach.

?When you have players like Keith Wainwright, Janeiro Tucker and Dwayne Leverock in your team, these are players who make you really want to coach because they respect you,? he said.

?Before I show up for training they maybe joking around but as soon as I walk in they really become focused and respect me. They can have fun and have a laugh, but when it comes to training or playing they really give me their respect.

?And over the years this team has grown from strength-to-strength. This is a very skilful team that I rate right up there with the St.George?s teams of the late 1980s and early ?90s.?

With two trophies already in the bag, Wade remains confident his charges can make a clean sweep, a feat Rangers haven?t achieved since Colin Blades? 1980 Southampton squad that swept all league and cup honours.

?That is definitely in the back of our minds, but we prefer to take things one match at a time,? Wade said. ?And our goal is to go through the season unbeaten. Last year we came close, but I think if we can put our minds to it and work hard we can do it.

?I believe in this team and always believe we can beat whichever team we face and to me this team is like a coach?s dream because they really respond to instructions and have respect for the coach.?