Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 29, 2016 Sports
By Rawle Welch
In just four short years, the impact that the Milo Under-20 Schools Football Competition is having both in terms of its popularity and the improved development of young aspiring footballers is instantly
recognizable from the onset of this year’s edition.
When the tournament got started last Saturday at the Ministry of Education ground, the enhanced standard of play combined with the large turnout of fans provided convincing evidence of what a wonderful idea it was for the Petra Organisation to come up with focused primarily on improving the quality of play among young ballweavers from within the Georgetown environs.
What was even more encouraging to see was the fact that Nestle Milo through its local supplier Beepat’s was willing to invest substantial sums of money to move the thought of the two principals Troy Mendonca and Marlan Cole to the reality it is today.
The Milo tournament annually serves as a precursor to the nationwide and extremely popular Digicel Schools Tournament as it helps to increase the standard of play by the time the latter comes around a few months after the former’s completion.
The initiative is proving that a solid strategic plan supported by the expertise to execute is often persuasive factors to gain corporate backing. Nestle Milo has reported its approval with the manner in which the Organisation has performed and its overall satisfaction with the objective of the tournament and this has to be good news for all those directly related to the sport.
It simply means that should there be no glaring negative developments arising in the foreseeable future, the outlook for the tournament’s continuing existence seems bright. There is no doubt that schools have signed on to making the tournament bigger and better and have undertaken to enhance the standard of the annual showpiece.
They are preparing much earlier and are hiring coaches as an appendage to their respective in-house teachers who might not have the advanced skills to impart to give their schools the best chance of winning, while the players themselves have wasted no time in honing their individual skills with clubs, making the spectacle a must see for scouts, coaches etc.
It is serving as a boost for the local federation which definitely does not possess the resources to spot all the talent so the Milo in addition to the Digicel is having a positive impact in the sport.
It must be noted also, that the involvement of the Education and Public Health Ministries are just as crucial to the tournament’s success and their individual roles should never be seen as trivial.
One ensures that the eligibility of the players are in conformity with the tournament regulations, while the other astutely uses the platform which is major in terms of proportion to spread messages about the ills that affect society and more directly the youths.
Nestel Milo and Digicel have both responded to the needs of our young footballers and they should be commended for this. Meanwhile, the fixtures for tomorrow and Sunday are seen below where matches are being played at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.
11:00 hrs Carmel Secondary School v/s Richard Ishmael Secondary
12:30 hrs Christ Church Secondary v/s Sir Leon Lessons
14:00 hrs Central High School v/s School of the Nation Secondary
15:30 hrs Bishop’s High’s School v/s South Ruimveldt Secondary
On Sunday:
11:00 hrs St John’s College v/s St. George’s Secondary
12:30 hrs Freeburg Secondary v/s Mae’s Secondary
14:00 hrs Queenstown Secondary v/s Tutorial Secondary
15:30 hrs Charlestown Secondary v/s St Rose’s Secondary
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