Captain Horace Burrell
President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Captain Horace Burrell, has lauded the sponsors of this year's Manning and daCosta Cup competitions.
Burrell, who was speaking at yesterday's launch of both competitions at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew, said he was impressed with the companies.
"In these difficult times when this harsh economic reality is facing us, seeing so many corporate companies sponsors on board is certainly very pleasing to me as president of the JFF," said Burrell.
Associate sponsors
Digicel and Pepsi Cola are the title sponsors of the competition, with Scotia Group, local television station CVM and KFC as the associate sponsors.
"I really want to commend these sponsors because you hear very often these days that 'I can't because the economic situation does not allow me to do so'," he said. "I know that with this kind of support football is bound to improve in this country," said Burrell.
Thirty-nine schools are down to compete in the Manning Cup competition. St George's College are the defending champions and Papine High return after a one-year absence. The daCosta Cup competition has attracted 79 schools. St James High are the defending champions.
The winning schools in both competitions will receive $175,000 each, while the runners-up will take home $50,000 each.
Triple-header
Dr Walton Small (centre), president of ISSA, is flanked by (from left) Tina Matalon, marketing manager of KFC, Paula Pinnock-MacLeod, sports sponsorship manager of Digicel, Denise Dixon, marketing manager of Pepsi Cola, and Simone Hull, public relations specialist of Scotia Group, during the press launch of the Manning and daCosta Cup competitions at the Terra Nova Hotel yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Both schoolboy competitions will kick off on September 12 with a triple-header at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay. In the opening game, defending Manning Cup champions St George's College will oppose Eltham High. This will be followed by Maldon against Cornwall College. The daCosta Cup winners St James will tackle Spot Valley in the feature match.
Paula Pinnock-MacLeod, sports sponsorship manager of Digicel, said her company was committed to the development of football in the country.
"The youths are the future and the cornerstone of this great country and, therefore, in them we must invest in order to ensure that Jamaica does not simply survive but develop," said Pinnock-MacLeod.
"Schoolboy football provides the opportunity to develop our youths, and that is why Digicel is very happy to be on board once more," added Pinnock-MacLeod.
George Forbes, competitions officer of ISSA, said there is a seven and a half per cent increase in this season's prize money.
Forbes added that they have received an increase in sponsorship each year and it has always been sufficient to run the competition.