Rasbert Turner, Freelance Writer
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) vice-president and CEO of The Captain's Bakery Ltd., Captain Horace Burrell (left), speaks with Richie Stephens (second right), his wife, Bernadette; and Jeffrey Webb, president of the Cayman Islands Football Association and vice chairman of FIFA's internal audit committee, during the Clarendon Football Association awards ceremony at the Versalles Hotel, in May Pen, on Thursday night.- Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Spanish Town, St. Catherine:
The Clarendon Football Association (CFA) paid out more than $1 million in cash and prizes at its award ceremony held at the Versalles Hotel, in Clarendon, on Thursday night.
The occasion saw winners of The Captain's Bakery Major League Trophy walking away with the top prize of $150,000 at the function, which was sponsored for most part by The Captain's Bakery.
More than 400 people were in attendance and all were given something to take home - from cash prizes, trophies, plaques, Captain's Bakery products, and even a neat entertainment package that was on hand.
The evening's activities kicked off with greetings from Jamaica Football Referees Association president, Peter Prendergast; Mayor of May Pen, Milton Brown; president of the CFA, Michael Ricketts, and singer Richie Stephens, who sponsors the Pot O' Gold competition in West-moreland.
He had them spellbound for several minutes with the song More than I can Be.
The clubs received major honours for the 2006-07 season after ending triumphant in various competitions - the Trevor Dunkley Knock-Out, Super Plus Division One, MacChem-Epic Hardware Business House League and The Captain's Bakery Major League.
Giving back
Caribbean Football Union vice-president, Captain Horace Burrell - former Jamaica Football Federation president who also serves as a vice-president of the CFA - noted that his company pumped $2.5 million into the parish's football this season, sponsorship that also facilitated an all-inclusive trip of a Clarendon All-Star team, which toured the Cayman Islands, recently.
"We're giving back to the community some of what you spend at The Captain's Bakery," Captain Burrell declared. "Every corporate entity has a duty to give back to the communities in which they operate."
President of the Cayman Islands Football Association, Jeffrey Webb, endosed the CFA and noted that a generation of players from Anthony Corbett and Linval Dixon to Eric Vernon and James Thomas came from Clarendon, to show that the parish is blessed with talent. He said that, with the continued support of corporate sponsors such as The Captain's Bakery, the parish will continue to soar.
"I think they have the best youth programmes and I do believe that they are set to achieve greatness once more like Vere in 1976 and also with legends like Winston Chung-Fah who is with us in the Cayman Islands. This shows that football is in good stead."
Webb, who is also deputy chairman for the internal audit committee at FIFA, praised the work of all concerned and said he believes that Clarendon is the answer for several top com-petitions that will run in the island.
The night's function saw Morgan's Pass collecting The Captain's Bakery Major League Trophy and $150,000 for first place among several other sectional prizes, while runners-up Gayle F.C. picked up $80,000.
New Longville earned the Most Discipline Team award and $10,000, while Kevin Morrison was voted the Top Referee and Lloyd Reid, the top Assistant Referee.
All the sponsors promised to continue strengthening football in Clarendon.
