President of St Thomas Soccer Affiliation Lascelles Logan (proper) and Normal Secretary Samantha Jackson share a second with CEO of McKay Safety Jason McKay through the launch of the affiliation’s Below-17 competitors on Monday on the KLAS ESPN Sports activities FM 89 head workplace in Kingston.
OFFICIALS from St Thomas Soccer Affiliation have expressed gratitude following a $2.6-million sponsorship gesture from McKay Safety Restricted in direction of the staging of their Below-17 soccer competitors, whereas echoing requires larger help for grass root soccer and youth growth throughout the island.
Along with financial backing, McKay Safety, which has additionally thrown its help behind the Kingston and St Andrew Soccer Affiliation’s (KSAFA) Below-17 competitors, has offered kits and different gear to every taking part membership.
Twelve groups, together with defending champions Danvers Pen, will contest the St Thomas Below-17 league that began on February 15 and can run till April 12, and which is able to see the taking part in of 36 preliminary spherical matches.
Lascelles Logan, president of St Thomas FA, whereas talking at a launch occasion at KLAS Sports activities FM 89 on Tuesday, welcomed the help from McKay Safety and pleaded for extra assist from company Jamaica.
“We want to thank McKay Safety for this choice to help the St Thomas Soccer Affiliation with this much-needed injection in direction of the event of gamers by means of our Below-17 competitors. We’ve got heard many instances that soccer is large enterprise however the capital funds wanted isn’t available to help the sport — and that is the place McKay Safety have to be recommended,” stated Logan
“We wish different corporations to associate with us. That is essential, because the St Thomas FA applies a enterprise method to the administration of the game within the parish, which is poised to draw main funding,” he added.
Jason McKay, CEO of McKay Safety, underlined his dedication to the event of soccer on the youth stage, noting that focus on this space will encourage progress on the senior stage. McKay additionally shared that he was inspired to sponsor the competitors by Area 3 Chairman and KSAFA President Mark Bennett, including that his firm’s upcoming entry into the parish as safety suppliers for KFC additionally performed a job within the choice to help the league.
“We picked the Below-17 programme as a result of that’s what we’re pushing — youth growth for soccer. We additionally checked out just a few of their higher gamers and realised that they’ve some good individuals and it’s a great parish to be concerned with,” stated McKay.
“There are two world championships on this planet the place Jamaica is predicted to dominate — not simply do effectively, to dominate — and in the event that they don’t, then there’s a downside. That’s the ISKA World Kickboxing Championships and the World Athletics Championships the place Jamaica is predicted to dominate the dash occasions. That’s as a result of each martial arts and monitor and discipline have very robust youth programmes — from major straight into highschool — and there’s some huge cash spent due to company curiosity and nationwide curiosity and that’s why we dominate in these sports activities. We do very effectively in netball and we do effectively in different sports activities, however these are the one two that we dominate on the world stage.
“With soccer, there’s no motive with the quantity of people that play the game in Jamaica and the quantity of expertise obtainable that we shouldn’t be extra profitable; the issue is the absence of youth growth. It’s not as a result of the soccer associations don’t wish to do it, there’s simply not sufficient funding for it. The associations are struggling for sponsorship,” McKay reasoned.
His sentiments have been shared by Bennett.
“I see it as an enormous factor. St Catherine and KSAFA are usually those with a robust youth programme so with the help from McKay Safety, all three parish associations may have youth competitions. This ensures that there’s common competitions for kids within the parishes, and with World Cup soccer coming yearly now, there is a chance for each teenager within the parishes to be part of the nationwide programme,” Bennett stated.
“We will spend a tonne load of cash on our premier league however the product won’t be sustainable with out actual funding at this stage … however, actually and really, not many corporations make investments at this stage, and for McKay to try this, we would like you to know the importance of this funding and respect the work of the parish associations who’re working on a shoestring funds,” Bennett added.
Normal secretary of St Thomas FA, Samantha Jackson thanked the groups for his or her efforts and highlighted the anticipated affect of the competitors.
This yr we have now a complete of 12 groups and we wish to categorical our gratitude for his or her dedication and their holistic contribution to the non-public growth of our youth and the general growth of soccer within the parish of St Thomas. Soccer is a recreation of ardour, talent, technique, dedication, perseverance and, most significantly, teamwork. The St Thomas Soccer Affiliation goals to advertise the values of soccer and encourage a brand new era of gamers and supporters and as such, we’re of the view that the game has the aptitude to remodel lives, construct communities, and promote social accountability,” stated Jackson.
