Ellis Sadaphal’s name is etched into the annals of Queen’s Royal College (QRC) sporting history as one of its most dynamic and accomplished dual-sport athletes. Born on October 25, 1948, in San Juan Hill, Sadaphal’s early promise was evident from his school days at Mt. Lambert R.C. School, where he captained both the football and cricket teams. This foundational accomplishment set the stage for a storied athletic career that would unfold at QRC and beyond.
Ellis married Marilyn Govia in 1974 with whom he had two children: his son, Stuart and his daughter, Michelle. Ellis was the third of six Sadaphals to grace the corridors of QRC. He was preceded by brothers, Sherman, Vernon and followed by Dave. His son Stuart and Sherman’s, Mark, were the next generation in the Sadaphal Dynasty to attend QRC.
Sadaphal entered QRC in 1961 and immediately branded his name on the sports field. In his first year, he played for the ‘C’ Colts cricket team and advanced to ‘A’ Colts the following year. By 1963, he had secured a place on QRC’s Intercollegiate (“Intercol”) first XI cricket team playing against St. Mary’s College — the first of five consecutive Intercol appearances. His cricket talent earned him a spot on the Trinidad and Tobago Schoolboys cricket team for the West Indies Under-19 series, where he played alongside future West Indian stars such as Bernard Julien, Richard DeSouza, Inshan Ali, and Wayne Smart.
Sadaphal’s football achievements were equally remarkable. Also beginning with the ‘C’ and ‘A’ Colts, Sadaphal made the QRC first XI team from 1964 to 1966. In 1966, he became the first and only QRC student to be selected for the senior national football team, playing against international powerhouses such as Coventry City (England) and Paysandu (Brazil).
In 1967, Sadaphal was named captain of the QRC cricket team. That same year, he was invited to national senior cricket trials but had to decline owing to his football commitments — a testament to the unique challenge of excelling simultaneously in two highly competitive sporting disciplines. Instead, he represented Trinidad and Tobago in the first CONCACAF football tournament held in Honduras.
His leadership also extended beyond QRC. From 1967 to 1972, he played for Maple, then the premier football club in Trinidad and Tobago, captaining the team in his final year. He also skippered the Port of Spain Football League (POSFL) and North teams. Sadaphal’s excellence was recognised decades later when he was named one of the Colleges League footballers of the 1960s, joining a distinguished company that includes such Trinidad and Tobago football icons as Everald “Gally” Cummings, Leroy De Leon, and Warren Archibald.
The Queen’s Royal College Old Boys’ Association beams with pride to recognise Ellis Sadaphal as a Hall of Honour Inductee, celebrating a life defined by sporting excellence, leadership, and undaunting Royalian pride.