Floyd Reifer
A Barbadian cricket stalwart who led the West Indies in a crisis, then turned to coaching and politics to serve his community.
Born 1972 (age 54)·West Indian cricketer·Birthday: July 23·Generation X
Biography
Floyd Reifer's story is one of quiet resilience in West Indian cricket. The left-handed batsman and handy medium-pacer from Barbados earned a reputation as a dependable, if not flashy, first-class mainstay for the Barbados and West Indies A teams for over a decade. His defining moment arrived unexpectedly in 2009 when a contract dispute led to a second-string West Indies squad touring England; Reifer, then 36, was called upon to captain a side of newcomers. Though the series was lost, his leadership under trying circumstances was widely respected. After retiring, he seamlessly transitioned into coaching, guiding the West Indies Under-19 team and later the senior men's team as a batting coach. His commitment to service extended beyond the boundary, as he also entered politics in Barbados.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Floyd was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Floyd Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Floyd's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained the West Indies Test team during the challenging 2009 tour of England amid a major player dispute.
- Served as the head coach of the West Indies Under-19 cricket team.
- Appointed as the batting coach for the West Indies senior men's national team.
- Enjoyed a long and successful first-class career spanning 18 years, primarily for Barbados.
Did You Know?
He made his Test debut for the West Indies against New Zealand in 1999.
Reifer is a certified cricket coach with a Level 3 certification from the ECB.
Beyond cricket, he has served as a senator in the Parliament of Barbados.
“You lead by example, on and off the field, no matter the situation.”
