Classroom excellence meets dominance in sports at Chase’s Academic Foundation

Dec 25, 2025 Sports

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By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – Chase’s Academic Foundation has steadily emerged as a carbon copy of modern, high-performing educational institutions worldwide, places where academic excellence and sporting achievement are not competing priorities, but complementary pillars of development.

In an era where the global education model increasingly recognizes sport as a vehicle for discipline, leadership and opportunity, the institution has positioned itself at the forefront of that movement in Guyana.

That approach places the school firmly in alignment with President Irfaan Ali’s vision for the expansion and professionalization of sport within the national education system. At Chase’s Academic Foundation, sport is not an extracurricular afterthought, but it is a strategic tool for youth empowerment and national development.

The philosophy begins at the top. Principal Henry Chase, himself a former school cricketer for East Ruimveldt Secondary School, understands the transformative power of sport from lived experience. That early exposure ignited a lifelong passion, and one that would later shape the direction, identity and culture of the institution he leads today.

The school’s sporting journey took a decisive turn in 2012 with its entry into the Petra Organisation’s MILO School Tournament. That moment marked the start of a structured and intentional investment in student-athletes.

Over the following three years, Chase’s Academic Foundation began offering scholarships to talented young athletes across cricket, football, track and field, swimming, and table tennis.

While excellence was encouraged across disciplines, football soon emerged as the flagship sport that would propel the school onto the national and regional stage.

By 2014, Chase had reached the final of the Digicel Schools Football Tournament (Georgetown Zone), narrowly losing to St. Mary’s High School. Rather than discouraging the institution, that setback became the foundation for sustained dominance.

In 2015, Chase’s Academic Foundation captured its first MILO title, successfully defending it in 2016 and 2017. The school reclaimed the championship in 2024, while finishing as runners-up in 2023 and 2025.

That winning culture extended well beyond a single competition. Chase Academy claimed the Republic Bank School League titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, while also asserting itself at the youth level by winning the inaugural ExxonMobil Under-14 Championship in 2018, before repeating the feat in 2024 and 2025.

It should be noted, that the school also entered a girls’ team in the ExxonMobil U14 tournament for the first time, finishing as runners-up and signalling a deliberate, progressive expansion into female sport development.

On the regional stage, the KFC/Goodwill International Tournament, an elite end-of-year Under-18 competition, tested the school against top institutions from selected islands and territories.

Chase Academy debut appearance in 2023 ended just short of glory, finishing behind St. Benedict’s College and Clarendon College. In 2024, the school returned stronger and defeated St. Benedict’s College in the final.

Determined to close 2025 with authority, Chase Academy achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first school to successfully defend the KFC/Goodwill title. However, to Principal Henry Chase, trophies are milestones, not the destination.

The core mission remains the cultivation of well-rounded individuals, students who excel academically while mastering a sporting discipline.

That philosophy has already produced a growing list of notable alumni, including Ashmead Nedd and Joshua Persaud in cricket; Kennisha Phillips and Claudrice McKoy in track and field; Jeremy Garrett and Curtez Kellman in football; Phillip DeNobrega in swimming; Kaysan Ninvalle in table tennis; and Ashish Persaud across cricket and table tennis.

More recent standouts such as Elite League MVP for Slingerz FC, Darron Niles and Raydon Krammer (football), Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson and Javon Roberts (athletics), and Shamar Yearwood (cricket) continue to validate the model.

Currently, the school boasts a remarkable pool of emerging talent. In cricket, young Reyaz Latif is already enrolled and developing. Football continues to thrive among both boys and girls, with names such as Bryan Wharton, Shaquan David, Neeiaz Baksh, Flavio LaRose, Nyron Barrow, Mark Glasgow, Leandra Henritto and Sabana Simon making their mark. On the track, young speedster Onesi Dunn has emerged as one to watch.

The ambition now is to create a defined, sustainable pathway from school sport to professional and international opportunities. However, this next phase cannot be achieved in isolation.

This is where Corporate Guyana must step forward, not as spectators, but as partners in national development.

Chase’s Academic Foundation has already proven that the blueprint works. What is required now are the resources to scale it, including improved facilities, elite-level coaching support, athlete welfare systems, exposure opportunities and access to international competition.

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• Chase’s Academic Foundation, Classroom excellence, dominance, Henry Chase, Sports

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