Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Munro College principal Branford Gayle (left), Darrel Harriman (centre) and Jamaica Football Federation President Crenston Boxhill in conversation at the Alpart/Essex Valley sports function held at Alpart recently. - CONTRIBUTED
ALPART HAS announced plans to resume next year sponsorship of a schoolboy football team from the area of St. Elizabeth to participate in the world's largest junior football club tournament, the Norway Cup, held in Oslo each year.
The announcement was made by Alpart's General Manager, Darrel Harriman, at the Alpart/Essex Valley Sports Council awards ceremony held at the Alpart Sports Club earlier this month.
The sports council is an amalgamation of teachers and Alpart employees who coordinate football, cricket and netball competitions for 25 all-age and primary schools that are within the Alpart operating area in the Essex Valley, bordering St. Elizabeth and south Manchester.
Harriman stated that the resumption of the sponsorship programme was a vote of confidence in the council's continued good work. He lauded it for its strong focus on sport as a means of character development in the schools.
The prospective squad of 18 under-14 footballers will be selected with the help of the council and flown to Norway to participate in the tournament. Their participation in the tournament is at the invitation of Hydro Aluminium, which is one of Alpart's two parent companies.
President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Crenston Boxhill, who was present at the luncheon, commended Alpart for its continued involvement in local football.
Awards were also presented to youngsters for achievements in sports. In cricket, Morningside Primary were the Under-12 winners while Nain Primary claimed top honours in the Under-15 competition. Netball saw Goshen All-Age emerge Under-12 and Under-15 winners. Goshen were also dominant in athletics as they were crowned both Under-12 and Under-17 champions. In football, an award was presented to Lititz All-Age who triumphed in the Under-12 competition.
