SDC throws full support behind Annotto Bay night football league

ANNOTTO BAY, St Mary:

The Social Development Commission (SDC) has thrown its full support behind the Dr Norman Dunn night football corner league competition, which was launched on Sunday at the Annotto Bay Multipurpose Sports Complex in St Mary.

Field Supervisor of SDC St Mary, Dr Gerdeen Sutherland, stated that the night football corner league, which has a $550,00 sponsorship, has the highest purse money throughout the parish, creates a level of unity among the respective communities, especially among the youths, who she said have benefited from the staging of the competition.

According to Dr Sutherland, the staging of the competition also creates an opportunity for not only the players to earn but also small business operators, including the jerk vendor, the cane-man, the shop owner, and the bag juice seller to earn from the staging of the competition, which she said allows them to provide for their families.

"The league is aimed at uniting persons and at SDC that is what we stand for, we help to organise sporting activities. I want to remind you that it is a competition and in the true spirit I expect you to be on your best behaviour, "she told members of the respective teams.

"I know that a league like this is paramount in Annotto Bay and its environs. So I say thumbs up to the organisers and we are looking forward at SDC to continued partnership with the implementation of competitions like this one. Having a league like this will foster that kind of socialisation and interaction among persons," she added.

A total of 12 teams, including the defending champions Top Bay, will vie for prize money, which will see the winners of the competition pocketing $300,000, the second-place team $150,000, and the third-place team securing $100,000. The competition will begin on July 7, 2024.

Meanwhile, Dr Dunn, who heaped praise on the organising community for putting together what he described as a "well put together launch", pointed out that the prize money is aimed at getting youths in the various communities to become more involved in sports, so as to showcase their natural talent and skill.

Dr Dunn mentioned that it was as a result of a corner league competition that Reggae Girl and former national captain Konya Plummer was able to first display her football talent which propelled her to don the national colours. He argued that the kind of support that the night corner league football competition has gotten, since its inception six years ago, outshines all the other competitions in St Mary.

"This corner league competition is bigger than the Major League and Super League competitions in this parish. The turnout of spectators to this venue is unbelievable. And it brings together neighbours, families, friends, and even those who have their differences. I am expecting that the level of discipline that was maintained last year will be in full effect for this year," Dr Dunn concluded.