Norbrook Strikers looking for a new home

Fresh off their victory at the Youth Football League's Junior Cup in the under-13 division last weekend, Norbrook Strikers coach Delano Campbell said the next step for the academy is to find a facility to call home.

In a celebratory mood, as he watched his players lift the all-island under-13 trophy at the University of the West Indies' (UWI) Mona Bowl on Saturday, Campbell explained that Norbrook Strikers shares a training ground with Shortwood United, who currently play in the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Wray and Nephew Championship.

"We need some financial support because we need our own infrastructure. We need a home. Currently, we're using the Shortwood field, but we want a home for Norbrook Strikers because once we get a home, we're ready to take over Jamaica at that time," Campbell asserted.

He said that the success of their youth academy is proof of the work being done to develop the players despite the lack of infrastructure.

During the Junior Cup, Norbrook had a deep run at the regional and all-island competitions in the under-12 and under-13 divisions.

In the Kingston regional, Norbrook made it to the under-12 semi-finals, where they were beaten by the eventual regional champions Balmagie Primary, while their under-13 finished second overall behind St Catherine High.

They returned for the all-island competition, where they made it to the final in both age groups. In the under-12 final, Norbrook settled for second place after a close 1-0 defeat to Spanish Town Primary, while in the under-13, they walked away with the title after defeating Glenmuir High in a close encounter.

According to Campbell, Norbrook will continue to open new channels for their players despite their current lack of facilities, as he pointed towards their recent partnership with Constant Spring Football Club.

"There were two finals, and both groups made it to the final," he said. "Clearly, the work is being done. Back in the summer, we partnered with Constant Spring, and our under-15 made it to the quarter-finals; our Under-13 are champions, and our Under-10, Under-11 and Under-12 have been winning continuously.

"We went to an international tournament in Tampa just recently in December, and we won both under-13 and under-10 championships, so it all means good for the programme, and we keep stepping up."

Norbrook Strikers currently have more than 300 players in their academy, ranging from under-7 to under-17.