President’s Report to Bi-Annual Voting Congress of the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) on Thursday 4th September, 2008

Introduction

Ambassador A.B. Stewart Stephenson President

When the present Council was re-elected at the Bi-annual Congress of KSAFA at the Heart Trust NTA Auditorium on Saturday 16th September, 2006, it had received a mandate to continue its mission of restoring the Association to financial viability and to maintain the image of KSAFA as the leading Confederation in the country. Following the elections, Council renewed its efforts to maintain the confidence of the private sector and corporate Jamaica in being the primary providers of sponsorship funds for our ten (10) competitions and various activities. The Council also committed itself to strengthening our administrative efficiency, reviewing the composition of our Standing Committees, forging a strong bond with our clubs and maintaining our excellent relationship with the media, which continue to provide excellent exposure for the activities of the Association.

Objectives to be Achieved

Having re-established the basic standards of governance for KSAFA over the previous two (2) years 2004/06, including the strengthening of our Secretariat and communication with the clubs, Council was expected to pursue objectives designed to increase sponsorship of our competitions and incentives offered to our clubs through prize monies and underwriting the cost of referees’ fees, while at the same time seeking to garner funds to under-write our administrative expenses. There was also the important objective of complying with our competition calendar and starting our competitions on time.

Other objectives set by Council included maintaining regular Council meetings, re-establishing a KSAFA Website and ensuring that our age group competitions remained intact and underpinned the technical development of our players.

The vital role being played by KSAFA’s 1st Vice-President within the JFF and the co-ordinating role of our 2nd Vice-President in providing advisory support for our clubs, were important objectives to which Council remained committed.

Performance of Council during the Administrative Period 2006/2008

During the Administrative period 2006/2008, Council held some forty-six (46) meetings up to 25th August, 2008, with meetings being scheduled on a first and third Thursday of each month. Discussions were usually very lively and there was free and open participation by all Council members in all issues being deliberated. A special word of appreciation must be extended to our 1st Vice-President, Mr. Carvel Stewart for enabling Council to hold its regular meetings at his offices both at 5 Norwood Avenue and more recently at 5 Central Avenue, Kingston 5, his new location. The Secretariat, headed by Mr. Jerome Spencer and assisted by Mr. Gregory Simms must also be commended for the preparation of Minutes and correspondence for our meetings.

A passing word must also be said about our former General Secretary, Mr. David Hunt, who passed away suddenly on Friday October 26, 2007 at his home. His contribution to KSAFA’s administration and to the development of football through his leadership of the Meadhaven United Football Club and his stint as a National Youth Coach, is now legendary.

Support provided by Administrative Staff

The activities at the KSAFA offices and the coordination of our competitions were undertaken by our two (2) young Administrators, Bianche Marks, Administrative Officer and Kedine Shepherd, Administrative Assistant. They were required to handle correspondence flowing in and out of the Office, to liaise with our clubs, co-ordinate the running of our competitions and arrange all Press Launches and Presentation of Award Ceremonies, as well as the hosting of Semi-final and Final matches by the Association. They were also required to arrange meetings for Council and our Standing Committees and implement their decisions.

For the future, it is clear that in order to further enhance the operational efficiency of our Secretariat, a full-time Administrator will be required to provide daily supervision and support for our young Administrators, in the absence of a fully paid General Secretary.

Delegates will recall that in February 2007, our former Co-ordinator Miss Margaret Sutherland, left KSAFA after ten (10) years with the Association for the Jamaica Football Referees’ Association (JFRA) to assume the position of General Secretary. In July this year, she joined the staff of the JFF as Competitions Co-ordinator.

Enhancing the Image of KSAFA

Since September 2004, when the current Administration took office, the image of KSAFA within the football fraternity as the most professionally run and leading confederation within the JFF has steadily been restored. This has been attained through the very positive achievements of Council, the increased sponsorship of our programmes, our leadership and advocacy publicly on issues affecting football nationally on radio and television.

The increased marketing of our competitions through very effective Press Launches and Presentation Ceremonies and media advisories of our Semi-finals and Finals, has served to create increased publicity for the activities of the Association and enhanced our image as a Confederation.

Members of the sports departments in the print and electronic media, as well as our own Videographer Jose Walton, should be specially congratulated for covering the activities of KSAFA and giving them national prominence.

Website Development

On 2nd April 2007, KSAFA re-launched its website www.ksafa.net during the presentation of Awards Ceremony for the 2006/07 Western Union KSAFA Jackie Bell Knock-Out Competition. The website developers Vilcomm Limited, were contracted by Council to re-establish and maintain the Association’s website. Mr. Basil Waite, former General Secretary and Chairman of the Website Development and Information Systems Committee, must be congratulated for the work which his Committee has done in ensuring that our website is of world-class standard and showcases all aspects of KSAFA’s activities and history. A visit to our website will provide detailed information on all our competitions and activities in an attractively designed format.

The website is now suitably developed to commence the sale of advertising to potential sponsors, thereby ensuring sustained financial support for the Association all year round.

Attracting new Sponsorship for Competitions

When this Council took office in September, 2004, there was only one confirmed sponsor for our competitions, that being the Jamaica National Building Society which had been partnering with the Association since 1998. Four (4) years later, KSAFA has attracted twenty (20) new corporate sponsors to provide funding for all our competitions and programmes. These corporate entities have together provided some Thirty Six Million Dollars ($36,000,000.00) in sponsorship funds over the four (4) year period 2004/08.

A breakdown of the sponsorship is as follows: for 2004/2005 just over Seven Million Dollars ($7,000,000.00); for 2005/2006 just under Nine Million Dollars ($9,000,000.00); 2006/2007 Eleven Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($11,400,000.00) and 2007/2008 Eight Million Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($8,815,000.00). Interestingly, in the case of the Shipping Industry of Jamaica which sponsored our Under 15 Competition for the past four (4) seasons, seven (7) corporate agencies together contributed just over Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) in sponsorship funds.

The Thirty-Six Million Dollars ($36,000,000.00) in sponsorship generated over the four (4) year period 2004/05 - 2007/08 represents a whopping increase over the previous three (3) year period 2001/02 - 2003/04, when the Association was only able to attract sponsorship of Six Million Two Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand Dollars ($6,258,000.00).

Integrity of our Competitions

During the past four (4) years, the Association has successfully run ten (10) competitions each season. The transparent and efficient conduct of these competitions has enhanced our ability to attract corporate sponsorship for the competitions. In an effort to enhance the integrity of the competitions, a software programme was introduced to facilitate the registration of players and develop a database on the results of the matches. In addition, Council has instructed the Secretariat that all ID cards issued to the players must be laminated. Recently however, there have been reports that some clubs has been able to corrupt the registration system in our Age Group competitions by registering over-aged players and in some instances, replacing the pictures of players on ID Cards which were issued without lamination. These corrupt practices must be stamped out promptly, because if sponsors are aware that the integrity of our competitions is being compromised by such practices, we will certainly lose their support.

The Competitions Committee is not only entrusted with the onerous responsibility of running our competitions, but critically of ensuring their complete integrity. Accordingly, the Chairman and members of the Committee must not await written complaints from other clubs of the presence of over-aged or other illegal players in our Age Group competitions, but must be vigilant and proactive in pursuing all reports of illegal registration of players.

In addition, the Committee should seek to replay rescheduled games within a week or two of regular competition and avoid the danger of completing the fixtures with games outstanding, thereby allowing other teams with no chance of qualifying to determine the final placing of teams.

Hosting of Management and Medical Seminars

In keeping with this Council’s commitment to enhance the management capability of our clubs and to provide basic First Aid training for their technical staff, the Association held a compulsory Management Seminar for affiliates on Saturday 5th July, 2008, sponsored by the NCB Group Limited at their offices located at the Atrium. This seminar was held in honour of our former General Secretary, David Hunt and was very well attended by Club Affiliates, as well as representatives from the Business House Football Association. NCB provided sponsorship of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) for the Seminar. Our first Management Seminar was of course held on Saturday 16th April, 2005, also at the Atrium, sponsored by the NCB Capital Markets Limited in the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($225,000.00).

Similarly, compulsory Medical Seminars were also held for Club affiliates during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 seasons on Saturday 19th February, 2005 and Saturday 6th May, 2006 at the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Headquarters. These seminars were also well attended and sponsored by Lascelles Laboratories and Pepsi-Gatorade. Sponsorship for the seminars totalled Three Hundred and Seventy Thousand Dollars ($370,000.00).

Special commendations must be given to our Technical Committee, chaired by Mr. Clyde Juriedini, who co-ordinated the Management and Medical Seminars, as well as a Coaching Seminar held in conjunction with the Jamaica Football Federation and the Harbour View Football Club earlier this season.

The Technical Committee also conducted trials for our Under 13 and Under 15 youth teams and co-ordinated their participation in the JFF Confederation competitions over the past four (4) years. Our 2nd Vice President, Mr. Carlton Dennis has been responsible for managing our teams, assisted by a small team including Mr. Peter Beckford. A panel of very experienced coaches from the Association has provided training for the players and ensured our dominance in all the Confederation competitions. As a result, KSAFA has emerged JFF Under 13 and Under 15 Confederation Champions for the past three (3) seasons, since 2004/ 2005. For the current 2007/2008 season, our KSAFA teams are in the Finals of the Confederation competitions, with our Under 13 team playing St. Catherine and the Under 15 team playing St. James.

Importantly, in implementing Council’s technical development policies, the Technical Committee was responsible for the Association spending some $2.7 Million Dollars during the Administrative Period 2004/05 – 2007/08, of which over $2,000,000.00 was spent on our youth development programme. This expenditure represented a massive increase over the previous three (3) seasons when $365,000.00 was spent by past Administrations. Our investment represents the largest amount ever spent on youth development in the Confederation.

We should be reminded that Mr. Juriedini and his Committee also co-ordinated and managed our Under 20 team which visited Barbados in December 2004 to participate in the University College Soccer Fair, where two (2) players received scholarship offers.

Media Coverage and Publicity for KSAFA Competitions and Activities

During this Administration, Press Launches and Presentation of Awards Ceremonies have been held for the ten (10) competitions run by the Association. In most instances, these functions have been hosted in the Board Rooms of our sponsors. All of our activities and programmes have attracted tremendous media coverage and restored KSAFA’s image as the leading and most professionally run football Confederation in the country.

Restoring the financial viability of the Association

The Association generated total revenue of just over Forty-five Million Dollars ($45,000,000.00) for the period 2004/05 – 2007/08. Just under Nine Million ($9,000,000.00) in 2005, approximately Eleven Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($11,100,000.00) in 2006, just over Thirteen Million Seven Hundred Thousand (13,700,000.00) in 2007 and some Eleven Million Three Hundred Thousand ($11,300,000.00) in 2008, representing an increase of over 316% in the amount generated for the period 2000/01 - 2003/04 of Fourteen Million Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars ($14,230,000.00).

Importantly, the Jackie Bell Knock-Out Competition generated profits totalling $1,578,709.00 over the four (4) year life of this Administration with some $463,000.00 in 2004/05, $417,681.00 in 2005/06, $3,528.00 in 2006/07 and $694,500.00 in 2007/08.

We reduced the deficit on our football operations from $133,000.00 to $43,000.00 in 2004/05 and generated net profit of just over $6,400.00 for 2005/06 and $393,500.00 for 2006/07. In the current financial year 2007/08 we generated gross profit on our operations of just under Two Hundred and Six Thousand Dollars ($206,000.00). However, after provisions for depreciation and impairment and arguably premature provision for bad debts of two (2) clubs, altogether totalling just over $403,000.00, the Association recorded a deficit of One Hundred and Ninety -Seven Thousand and Seventy Dollars ($197,070.00). This would otherwise have enabled the Administration to generate net profit in its final year.

Overall therefore, the Administration has generated net surplus of approximately One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars ($160,000.00) on its operations over the four (4) year period 2004/05 - 2007/08.

Importantly, the prudential management of the financial affairs of the Association is vital to attracting sponsorship from Corporate Jamaica, because in the private sector well run organizations must always seek to balance their books and spend what they earn. Voluntary organizations therefore, which continue to reflect operational deficits in their Financial Statements will not be able to retain private sector support.

Role of the Vice-Presidents

During this Administration, our Vice-Presidents Messrs. Carvel Stewart and Carlton Dennis, have played a very effective role in their assigned duties with the JFF and in building relationships with our clubs.

KSAFA’s role within the JFF

Recognizing the need to strengthen the JFF’s Administration, 1st Vice-President Carvel Stewart was assigned responsibilities as our Confederation Chairman during the Boxhill Administration. In that role he served on the Federation’s Management Committee and was instrumental in efforts to build a football academy.

The President, 2nd Vice President Carlton Dennis and Mr. Stewart all served on the JFF’s Board of Directors, while other Council members served on the JFF’s Finance, Competitions and Technical Sub-Committees.

The Crenston Boxhill led Administration demitted office on 4th November, 2007, paving the way for the return of former President Captain Horace Burrell, who was elected unopposed and assumed the reigns of office. His team included Dale Spencer - 1st Vice-President, Bruce Gaynor - 2nd Vice-President, Raymond Anderson - 3rd Vice-President and Horace Reid, General Secretary. The new Burrell Administration quickly replaced then Technical Director Velibor “Bora” Milutinovic with Rene Simoes and a team of Brazilians to take over preparation of all National Teams.

Monitoring the Activities of Clubs

2nd Vice-President Carlton Dennis was assigned responsibilities for monitoring the activities of our clubs and ensuring that particularly our weaker clubs were given assistance with their developmental programmes. He assisted in resolving leadership issues at Elleston Flats prior to the start of the 2006/07 season and together with senior members of Council, sought to resolve the struggle for representation in our Stony Hill Franchise between Stony Hill Phoenix and Stony Hill FC. In the ensuing saga, the leadership of KSAFA was taken before the Supreme Court by Stony Hill Phoenix in an attempt to force the Council to affiliate the Club which had failed to satisfy our Affiliation Criteria. The Court accepted KSAFA’s submissions and dismissed the Application by Stony Hill Phoenix to be allowed to participate in the 2007/08 Syd Bartlett Competition.

Subsequently, in accordance with the provisions of the JFF and KSAFA Constitutions, Council conducted a hearing into the behaviour of the President and membership of Stony Hill Phoenix in bringing the game into disrepute and expelled both from all future activities of the Association.

Stony Hill FC under the leadership of President Livingston Caine, was then allowed to participate in our Under 15, Under 13 and 17 Competitions in their efforts to satisfy the Affiliation Criteria and qualify for participation in the 2008/09 Syd Bartlett Competition.

Club Incentives

Since the 2006/07 season, prize monies were extended to 5th and 6th place winners in all our league competitions, thereby providing greater incentive for clubs to maintain their competitive interest throughout the season. This initiative was warmly welcomed by our club affiliates.

During the four (4) seasons 2004/05 - 2007/08, cash incentives were also provided in our Jackie Bell Knock-Out Competition to teams failing to advance beyond the Preliminary, 1st and 2nd Rounds of $5,000.00 to $7,500.00 each. The top sixteen (16) teams in the Western Union sponsored competition each received a full set of gears.

In the 2005/06 season, Supligen/Locker Room Sports provided a full set of gears for each of the thirty-six (36) teams participating in the compulsory Under 20 competition.

In the 2007/08 Senior League Competitions, new sponsors Victoria Mutual provided printed jerseys for twenty-two (22) teams, while Sports Gear Limited provided five (5) match balls to each of the thirty-six (36) teams which entered. For the past four (4) seasons the Kiwanis Club of Liguanea, sponsors of the compulsory Under 13 Competition, provided two (2) match balls to each of the participating clubs.

Support for Premier League Clubs

Continued support was provided for our Premier League Teams and Confederation Qualifiers to ensure that KSAFA retained at least six (6) Clubs in the National Premier League. Importantly, the President’s Cup Knock-out Competition which was introduced in the 2005/06 season and sponsored by Pan Caribbean/Life of Jamaica, was welcomed by the participating Premier League clubs which used the competition as an opportunity to expose newly recruited players to their teams prior to the start of the league. For the 2007/08 season, the competition not only attracted a new sponsor in Locker Room Sports, but also saw an increase in sponsorship of over 200% to $375,000.00, up from $120,000.00 in the 2006/07 season. Locker Room Sports has agreed to a two (2) year sponsorship deal.

Despite, the failure of Constant Spring FC in 2005/06 and August Town FC in 2007/08 to retain their places in the JFF’s National Premier League, the indomitable Red Brigade from Boy’s Town and the consistent Meadhaven United FC emerged winners of the succeeding Confed. play-offs and ensured that during the four (4) years of this Administration, KSAFA maintained six (6) teams in the National Premier League.

On behalf of Council and our other club affiliates, we salute the triumphant efforts of our Senior Club Affiliates in ensuring that the highest quality of football is played in the National Premier League and that they continue to provide the majority of players for our National Teams.

Development of Young Administrative Talent

As part of our succession planning we facilitated the development of young talented Administrators who were given responsibilities and exposure to enable a smooth transition of leadership when the current Administration demits office. These included General Secretary - Jerome Spencer, Assistant Secretary -Gregory Simms, Assistant Treasurer -Brian Rose and Competitions Committee Chairman-Peter Higgins. Sincere congratulations must be extended to these young leaders for their committed service to the Association beyond the call of duty. All four (4), together with Vice-Presidents Stewart and Dennis and Treasurer Ruddy Speid, were among twenty-five (25) members of the KSAFA family presented with the inaugural President’s Awards in July, 2008.

Challenges Ahead for KSAFA

The Association must continue to treat our affiliated clubs as business enterprises committed to financial accountability. Accordingly, the incoming Administration should closely monitor the development of our clubs to ensure that they meet the affiliation requirements and strive for self sufficiency and financial viability.

Our Age Group Development Programme has proved extremely successful since its introduction by this Administration in the 1996/97 season. The Programme has provided a continuous and predictable flow of talented players from age 10 through 20 for our affiliated clubs and enabled KSAFA to dominate representation on all our National Teams. A few clubs are faltering in their efforts to sustain participation in the programme, but this must not discourage the incoming Administration from enforcing the Affiliation Criteria. We should seek to provide institutional support for our weaker clubs, rather than tamper with a programme which is working or seek to fix that which is not broken.

Given the current World Cup Campaign leading to South Africa 2010 by the JFF, KSAFA’s efforts to obtain and retain sponsorship will prove increasingly difficult. We must however, continue to provide effective marketing exposure for our sponsors as they seek to obtain mileage for each dollar spent.

Conclusion

The past four (4) years have proven tremendously challenging, but been extremely successful for the Association. We have not only restored KSAFA to the pinnacle of leadership in Jamaica’s football, but ensured that the Confederation continues to display the highest quality of football at all Age Group levels. Transparency has been restored to our financial affairs and the Confederation attracted the highest level of sponsorship and generated and expended the most income in the Association’s history. To date, our competitions have been completed largely within the prescribed calendar period and Presentation of Awards Ceremonies held for all our competitions. The decisions of our Council and the voices of our Delegates at JFF’s Congresses are respected at all levels within the fraternity. The term KSAFA is now truly a National Brand.

Let me extend sincere appreciation to the members of Council, Standing Committees and our hardworking Staff for their support and co-operation over the past four (4) years. Special thanks also to the KSAFA Referees Group for officiating in our matches over four (4) gruelling seasons and for displaying resilience in sometimes difficult circumstances. To the Commissioners of Police and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force for providing security at our Senior Leagues and Under 20 Competitions and the electronic and print media for providing extensive coverage for our competitions and programmes, we express tremendous gratitude and appreciation.

The Baton of Leadership will proudly pass today having completed two four (4) year terms as President from August, 1996 to September, 2000 and August, 2004 until today. As one era concludes, so too a new one will begin. There will be many sad hearts as this team departs the stage and yet many others will be happy to welcome the new brigade. Nevertheless, it has been said: the moving finger writes and having written must move on. Let me therefore wish for incoming President Ruddy Speid and his team best wishes for success as they take the baton forward.

I end as always with the Salutation-KSAFA is # 1.

Thank you.

…………………………………………………

Ambassador A.B. Stewart Stephenson
President, KSAFA
4th September, 2008

^Top^