- CONTRIBUTED
Roger Thompson (right), group marketing manager of Caribbean Broilers Limited, hands over the sponsorship cheque to Mark McKnight (second left), president Kingston and St. Andrew Primary Schools Sports Association, and Raymond Simmonds, the school body's public relations officer at the press conference to launch the CB Chicken/Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) Primary Schools Football Championship, at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters on Wednesday.
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
YOUTH FOOTBALL in Jamaica was given a tremendous boost when Caribbean Broilers Limited announced a $1.5 million sponsorship of the Kingston and St. Andrew CB Chicken/Insports Primary School Football Championship, that will kick off on Saturday, October 14.
This was announced by Roger Thompson, the group marketing manager, of Caribbean Broilers Ltd at a press conference on Wednesday at the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) headquarters.
"To develop these young minds and to support this venture, Caribbean Broilers through its flagship product CB Chicken, will invest for the first time a capping of $1.5m in this year's tournament," said Thompson.
"Today is the launching of a new era in youth football," he noted.
According to Thompson, football is taking the trend of developing into a professionals career.
"Just like how we are moulding these young minds to become doctors and lawyers we need to develop them to become professional sportsmen. Football is one of those avenues to embark on.
"Goalkeepers will become the accountants and bookkeepers of our nation. The defenders will become the policemen, soldiers and lawyers. The linkmen will become the architects of this country and the forwards will become the entrepreneurs and visionaries in the future," said Thompson.
Youth football has been re-energised in recent years with the new thrust by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to develop age group football and Burchell Gibson, JFF's general secretary, says any investment at the young age will not go unnoticed.
WORKSHOP
"The JFF technical staff will be working closely to nurture these talent. We the JFF will provide the necessary assistance and will be hosting a coaching workshop for all participating coaches on October 28 and 29."
The Primary schools competition has been running for 20 years and this year for the first time there will be sponsored cheerleaders from each school to generate added excitement.
Over 40 schools will participate with Holy Family Primary being the defending champions.
For the first time all schools with the assistance of other sponsors Art & Fabric, Wisynco Group (Wata) and Sportsmax, will be provided with gears and there will be a Mid-Season final.
With the help of Wisynco, each team will be provided with Wata and Sportsmax will be showing a one-hour highlight package every week.
"Just like the Premier League teams that sip Wata at half-time, we can also sip Wata at half-time," said Mark McKnight, president of the Kingston and St. Andrew Schools Sports Association, while outlining details of the competition.
