House-grown Reggae Girlz defender Sashana Campbell (proper) will get the higher of her Bermuda opponent as teammate Chantelle Swaby (left) appears to be like on. (Picture: Karl Mclarty)
Jamaica Soccer Federation (JFF) Vice-President and Ladies’s Committee Chairperson Elaine Walker-Brown says she is hoping the revamped Jamaica Ladies’s Premier League (JWPL) will result in extra local-based gamers breaking into the Reggae Girlz squad.
The JWPL, which kicks off on March 1, has a brand new oversight physique within the Skilled Ladies’s Soccer Jamaica Restricted (PWFJL), following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the JFF. Chaired by famous enterprise govt Christina Hudson, the PWFJL will probably be chargeable for the event, advertising and marketing and commercialisation of the league.
Eleven groups from across the island have dedicated to the competitors, the best participation stage in over a decade with solely seven groups competing within the 2024 marketing campaign.
Since Jamaica’s historic qualification to the 2019 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup, there was an inflow of English-born gamers representing the crew.
Nevertheless, Walker-Brown desires to see that recruitment drive lessened and extra dwelling grown gamers given the nod sooner or later with the assistance of the rebranded JWPL.
“We need to return to once we certified in 2018; that was the native ladies that certified us to the World Cup, so we need to see extra of our native ladies stepping up, stepping out and going into the nationwide senior squad,” she informed the Jamaica Observer.
“It’s a terrific alternative and the curiosity in ladies’s soccer has grown because the Reggae Girlz certified, however we now have not seen the event as the way it should be and that’s attributable to funding so [the league] is a giant transfer, we’re excited and the communities, faculties and everyone can see that is an avenue or path they’ll select,” added Walker-Brown.
The JWPL, which in earlier years was brief on funding, has secured nearly $11 million in sponsorship with the likes of Sherwin Williams, Wisynco, KFC and Supreme Ventures approaching board with Hummel Jamaica serving as package sponsors.
Sports activities Minister Olivia Grange additionally pledged $8.5 million with $3 million going to the PWFJL and $100,000 per 30 days to the 11 groups during the season.
Walker-Brown says the gamers should take the competitors significantly, figuring out a lot is at stake.
“We now have to talk to the women and inform them that, on and off the sector, they’re ambassadors. There are extra eyes, there’s extra funding in order that they should market themselves and inform these sponsors that they’ve come to the suitable place,” she stated.
“Their behaviour, their perspective, their stage of self-discipline needs to be displayed on and off the sector. We now have that job to do. It’s extra than simply taking part in; it’s holistic. We now have work to do with the groups and among the younger girls to make sure that they know they’re part of the advertising and marketing to make sure we maintain this.”
The 11 groups on this 12 months’s competitors are defending champions Frazsier’s Whip, Arnett Gardens, Cavalier, UWI, Wifi United, Confirmed Women, Mile Gully, Los Perfectos, Federal United, Springers United and Actual Mobay.
