Latest update December 16th, 2024 9:00 AM
Digicel School’s Football Championship returns!
…128 schools to compete; tournament kicks off June 24
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – After a six-year hiatus, the Digicel School’s Football Championship is set to make a return on June 24 for its eighth season.
The tournament, which was one of the most prestigious school’s football titles during its seven-year run, will see 128 schools from across the country participating and culminates on August 13.
Following the playoff in the 10 Administrative Regions, the top-placing schools will compete in the Round-of-32.
Digicel’s out-going Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gregory Dean, said his company is elated to usher the return of the riveting rivalry in football at the school level.
At a gala launching held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, it was announced that the Petra Organisation would be administering the tournament, as Co-Director Troy Mendonca, highlighted the importance of the tournament for the development of football in Guyana.
Mendonca thanked Digicel for showing confidence in the Petra Organisation which had taken up the mantle to administer schools football at various levels since 2012.
(Sitting L-R) Petra Organization’s Troy Mendonca, Digicel CEO Gregory Dean, GFF’s Dion Inniss and president of the GOA Godfrey Munroe. Also in photo are students from participating schools. (Rawle Toney photo)
A former national player himself; coming out of Linden; Mendonca encouraged the students to play within the spirit of the Beautiful Game.
Dion Inniss, member of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Executive Committee, praised Digicel for their commitment to the development of football at schools and for ensuring that the tournament reached almost every corner in Guyana.
Inniss spoke profoundly of the exposure that the tournament gives to players, particularly those from the hinterland region.
Meanwhile, president of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Godfrey Munroe, hailed Digicel for the return of the tournament and emphasized the importance of allowing students to have a balance of academic and sports.
He said the GOA is enthused by the development and return of the tournament, especially since they’re in an Olympic cycle.
The Digicel School’s Football Tournament has a rich history in Guyana, with only one school, Christianburg Wismar Secondary dominating the event.
Students representing teams from all ten Regions at the launching of the Digicel School’s Football launching. (Rawle Toney photo)
The school from Linden, more popularly known as ‘Multi’ played in six consecutive finals, winning four titles and twice in the runner-up position.
The Georgetown Technical Institute (GTI) won the inaugural tournament. However, every other edition, except 2016 and 2017 which was won by Chase Academy, went to Christianburg Wismar Secondary.
Several players who have represented Guyana at the senior level have come through the Digicel School’s tournament.
Jeremy Garrett and Curtez Kellman, who are currently with the Golden Jaguars in Miami preparing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, are products of the tournament with Chase Academy.
When the tournament was last played, a hat-trick from Stephon Reynolds, along with a double from Nicholas McArthur and a single strike from Ryan Hackett were enough to hand Chase Academy their second title, after playing in their third consecutive final.
The win saw Chase Academy pocketing $1M for a school project of their choice, while Annai Secondary collected $700,000.
Waramadong defeated arch-rivals Christianburg Wismar Secondary (Multi) 3 – 1 to finish third. The Lindeners, for the first time in the tournament’s history, did not feature in the finals.
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