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Overview
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20002 KSAFA U13 JFF CONFED Champion Team |
The
competition was initially started as U12 by the
Kiwanis Club of Liguanea in December 1992 . The idea
to launch a football competition in honour of The Lt
Governor, Fitz O. Ramsay, the Distinguished Lt.
Governor of Excellence (DLGE), was conceived by A B
Stewart Stephenson then chairman of the service
club’s Youth Services Committee. In the inaugural &
earlier years, this outreach project primarily
targeted football clubs and schools in the Liguanea
area. Invitation was extended to a few fraternal
neighbours and the competition expanded over
subsequent years. The competition started with 4
teams and peaked at 8 teams by 1999 before it came
under the jurisdiction of KSAFA.
By
1998/1999 the U-12 competition had expanded to include
the entire corporate area and came under the aegis
of the KSAFA with clearly stated objectives and
subsequent incorporation into the criteria section
of its rules as a compulsory requirement for its
Affiliates .
Commencing with the 2001 renewal, the ‘Roots’ Nathan
administration raised the age requirement to 13 in
keeping with the new JFF directive handed down from
FIFA. In that year , the competition still retained
the KSAFA co-sponsorship designation with the
Kiwanis Club of Liguanea in continuation of the
remaining two of a three year deal. In 2002 Colgate
Palmolive came on board as title sponsor and joined
associate sponsor, the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea .
Hence, the competition was re-branded KSAFA/Colgate Palmolive/Kiwanis
Club of Liaguanea/Fitz Ramsay U13 . .
With a level playing field now afforded the KSAFA,
the Association two U13 teams, Kingston and St
Andrew, asserted its competitive edge by dominating
the JFF U13 over the ensuing years.
KSAFA self sponsored the competition in 2003. In
2004 the Orville Marshall administration secured the
stand alone sponsorship of NCB Capital Market .
Following a two year hiatus, the Kiwanis Club of
Liguanea restored its associate sponsorship in 2005
as a response to the repositioning of Ambassador
Stephenson’s ‘Solid Achievers’ . A two year deal was
also clinched with Nestle as the new title sponsor
under its Milo brand.
Meadhaven United dominated the first six (6) years
of the U13 championship recording some 4 titles.
1992 -1998 The earlier years of Fitz Ramsay U12
At
inception, the competition involved a select numbers
of teams drawn from clubs ,prep and primary schools
predominantly from the Liguanea area and was played
during December of each year. The Kiwanis Club of
Liguanea was the sole sponsor.
When the competition was launched ,Distinguished
President Robert Wynter was at the helm of the
leadership of the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea. The
competition was coordinated by the indefatigable, A.
B Stewart Stephenson who was then chairman of the
service club’s Youth Services Committee. The main
objectives of the competition were to:
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Expose talented
players at an early age for development into solid
adult footballers.
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Build character
among boys by teaching “fair competition” and good
behaviour.
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President of Real
Mona, Peter Moses recalled that 4 teams were
involved in the inaugural competition-Real Mona
FC, Mona Prep, Mona Primary and Elleston Flats.
Matches in the earlier years were played at
Jamaica College and Buttercup Park. Real Mona FC
dominated the competition in its first two year;
Elleston Flats the third and as the prestige
spread over the corporate area ,more teams became
involved. Santos won the competition in its 4th
year and Denham Town the fifth year.
The
competition experienced some setback in the 1997/98
season due to controversy concerning the use of an
overage player. Rather than abandon the entire
season, a knockout competition was played that year.
Eight (8) teams participated in the competition.
1998- 2000 Still U 12; KSAFA Adoption and Price
WaterHouse Coopers come on Board
The
competition was revived in the 1998/99 season, this
time the leadership of the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea,
under Distinguished President Melvin White, entered
into a co-sponsorship agreement with the A B Stewart
Stephenson led KSAFA. The Kiwanis Club of Liguanea
provided 4 balls and $3,000 for field preparation to
each participating club. As new feature the
competition was scheduled as a summer league over
6-8 weeks. Seventeen(17) teams divided into two (2)
groups participated in the competition which had an
impressive opening ceremony at Breezy Castle on July
10,1999. DLGE Fitz Ramsay did the symbolic kick off
at the Rae Town vs Santos opening match. The final
was played on August 29,1999 at Campion College.
Hundreds of fans witnessed an exciting match as
Maverley Hughenden defeated Real Mona 2-1 on a
penalty in sudden death extra time . Of
significance, not one red card was issued out of a
total of 82 matches played. The competition had
served to guarantee greater participation by parents
and providing its youngest players with gainful
activity during the summer holidays.
During the 1999/2000 season, the competition
expanded to 28 teams divided into 4 zones.
Price Waterhouse Coopers came on board as a joint
sponsor adding $110,00 of prize money to the
‘kitty’. The Kiwanis Club of Liguanea under
Distinguished President, Patrick Campbell ,gave an
undertaking to co-sponsor the competition for the
next three seasons commencing with the 1999/2000
season. David Copeland continued his work as Special
Project Director for the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea
with the same zeal an zest as his predecessor A. B
Stewart Stephenson.
A
new feature of the 1999/2000 competition was that
the KSAFA made it a compulsory requirement for all
its Affiliates.
Tivoli defeated Real Mona in a penalty shoot out in
the final at Barbican. A total of 107 games were
played and 299 goals scored during the season. At
the presentation of award ceremony at Golden Dragon,
KSAFA President A B Stewart Stephenson said he was
pleased to announce that the U12 competition
continued to fulfill two objectives:
The
first was the continued exposure of young talented
players seeking national youth selection. Under this
heading The Fitz Ramsay competition was able to
offer the KSAFA the only objective basis on which to
select its two Under 12 teams for participation in
the JFF Confederation Competition. This competition
which is island-wide has afforded KSAFA players the
exposure for national selection.
In
a presentation to the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea in
2001, Basil Waite, former General Secretary echoed
similar sentiments. He cited numerous players who
have played in the KSAFA U12 competition that have
gone on to national selection, such as :-
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Kari Stephenson,
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Shavar Thomas,
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Alexi Thomas,
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Christopher
Nicholas,
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Akeem Priestly,
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Ricardo Fuller,
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Ezra Prendegast,
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Marco McDonald ,
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Alex Blake,
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Kevin King,
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Ronald Wallen,
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Kevin Wilson,
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Andy Williams
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Jermaine Johnson
The
second objective is to facilitate the development
process within the clubs by enabling the youngest
members to be engaged in competitive action at the
formative stage of development .
The
JFF entered into discussion with the outgoing
Stephenson administration to increase the age limit
to 13 to bring the competition in line with FIFA
stipulation.
The transition to U13
2000/2001- Richard Nathan was at the helm and made
the seamless transition of the competition from
Under 12 to under 13 in compliance with JFF
Directive. The Kiwanis Club of Liguanea entered into
the second of a three year under taking and hence
the new administration was pleased to announce the
continued branding of the competition as the Kiwanis
Club of Liguanea/KSAFA Fitz` Ramsay U13. Garth
Taylor was the new chairman of the Youth Services
Committee confirmed that 26 team across 4 zones
participated in the competition . He was at hand to
witness Mona reaching the age group competition for
the third year in a row. Meahaven United had the
distinction of been the first title holder hold of
the new age group competition and once again Real
Mona lost on penalties.
Cleon Brown of Maverley Hughenden was the leading
goal scorer of that season
KSAFA U13 gained the gained the first lien on the
’new look’ JFF U13 Confederation . For the first
time in the history age group competition, two KSAFA
teams played in the final of that competition.
2001/2002-It was a beaming Roots Nathan that
announced at a $555,000 sponsorship deal with tile
sponsor Colgate Palmolive at a press conference. So
too was Kelvin Smith ,Distinguished President
Kiwanis Club of Liguanea, as he confirmed his clubs
associate sponsorship. The competition was dubbed
KSAFA/Colgate Palmolive /Fitz Ramsay U13.
A
record 27 team participated in the competition..
Meadhaven United once again won the title for the
second year in succession. Kenal Malcolm of
Shortwood was awarded the title of leading goal
scorer .
KSAFA U13 repeated it success of the previous year
when it captured the coveted JFF U13 Confederation
title.
2002/2003-Only 8 teams participated in the KSAFA
self sponsored competition of 2003. Harbour View
gained their first lien on the title. KSAFA U13 won
the JFF U13 Confederation championship.
2003/04-. NCB Capital Markets provided a stand alone
sponsorship of $100,000 . Twenty four ( 24) teams
participated across 4 zones. Port Royal withdrew.
2004/05- The ‘Solid Achievers’ set about fulfilling
one its objective to restore sponsorship for all
KSAFA youth competitions. A two year deal was struck
with Nestle Jamaica Ltd.(under Milo brand) in
respect of the U13. The Kiwanis Club of Liguanea
returned to the fold as associate sponsor. The
$500,000 sponsorship covered prize money for 1st
-4th place as well as referee fees among others.
Each member of the executive was outfitted with polo
shirts. Twenty two (22) teams participated across 4
zones. Meadhaven United took the title ahead of
Water House. Christopher Harrison of Meadhaven
United emerged as the leading goal scorer.
2005/06 -The Milo/Kiwanis Club of Liguanea
co-sponsorship deal continued into the second year
but at $220,000 It covered among others , prize
money for 1st -4th place and referees’ fees. Thirty
( 30) teams participated which was the highest in
the history of the competition to date. Whitfield
withdrew.103 matches were played and 323 goals
scored. Real Mona finally shook the monkey of their
backs to take the title on a penalty shoot out with
Rae Town . The victors’ Omar Holness scored a record
19 goals to become the leading goal scorer and joint
MVP.
Chronology
U12
U13
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