Jamalco Launches Community Football League in Clarendon

Some 170 males from the environs of Hayes in Clarendon, representing 12 communities, are to participate in a recently reorganized Community Football League, sponsored by Jamalco.

The League was launched recently at the Vere Technical High School in that parish.

Guest Speaker Peter Prendergast, President of the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) urged the participants to break down the political and social barriers that existed between and within communities.

He also called on the players to execute their responsibilities in a disciplined and well-respected manner both on and off the field.

“We are all one people, irrespective of colour, class or creed,” the JFRA President noted as he further encouraged the prospective players not to waste their energy on quarrelling and defying the decisions of match officials.

Mr. Prendergast endorsed the need to foster greater community cohesion and to focus on serious training.

In launching the programme, Jerome Maxwell, Managing Director of Jamalco emphasized that the survival of the programme hinged on the community’s input.

He called on the teams to ‘run’ a clean competition while also having fun.

Blossom Laidlaw, Public Relations and Communications Manager at Jamalco congratulated the community for responding to the company’s encouragement to revive the programme after the original ‘Hayes Corner League’ lost its vibrancy six years.

She thanked the participants for their determination to ‘make it happen’ and wished them all the best for the start of the 2005 season.

While players will compete for the ‘Blossom H. Laidlaw Champion of Champions’ Trophy, they will also have an opportunity to compete for the Masters and ‘Fair Play Trophy’ donated by Mr. Prendergast.

The competition, which will run for four months, will get underway on Sunday February 6, at the Hayes Community Complex in the Corn Piece community.

A seminar on rules and discipline on and off the field was also incorporated into the launch.