Caribbean Premier Showcase a success, says organiser

Oniqueky Samuels, coordinator of the Caribbean Premier Showcase (CPS), said the organisation has seen another successful staging as they drew their two-day showcase to a close yesterday at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence.

CPS is an annual showcase for schoolboy football players in their post-season to display their skills in front of overseas scouts and coaches in the hopes of earning college scholarships.

Spearheaded by Samuels, CPS also works alongside the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) to ensure both Manning and daCosta Cup players are well represented at the initiative.

"It is very important because we have to take care of that transitional period for these young high school students," Samuels said yesterday while overseeing the day's events.

"We, as an organisation, are doing a really good job in getting the right talent. We're working in collaboration with ISSA to getting the All-Manning Cup team and getting the All-daCosta Cup team here so it really makes a lot of sense."

Samuels explained the rationale behind the CPS was to create a pathway for players who have finished their high school careers to find their footing in the next level of football.

The CPS plays the role of shining a spotlight on these players who, in other cases, would have had their talents overlooked.

Samuels also explained the scouts and coaches who make the trip to Jamaica have been impressed by the talent on display over the past few days and it is now up to the players to seize their opportunities.

"It makes a lot of sense to have them here. I feel proud of how everybody is embracing the move because the coaches that are coming down from Europe and from the US, they are enjoying the culture here in Jamaica."

He continued, "But most importantly, they are enjoying the talent that is here. It is up to the players now, all they have to do is to be themselves and make the best of the opportunity here."

Samuels explained the initiative holds a special place for him as he was once a schoolboy football player who had earned a scholarship to the University of Maine at Fort Kent to pursue football in the USA.

Having lived that experience, Samuels is dedicated to opening the doors for others to explore their opportunities as well.

"It started off for me back in 2007 when I was just a regular student at St Elizabeth Technical and I got a scholarship and I accepted the opportunity. I went to school for seven years and got four degrees, two undergrad and two masters and now I'm the head coach," the showcase coordinator stated.

"Coming back now, I am trying to open those same doors and, hopefully, in 10 or 20 years, this is still something that is going on because the top kids, whether Manning Cup and daCosta Cup, need somewhere to play where they can showcase their talents."