The Petra Organisation yesterday afternoon launched their season-ending marquee tournament, the fourth KFC Goodwill Football Championship, at the Cara Lodge Hotel on Quamina Street.
The event, which will run from December 12th-22nd, will feature eight schools competing in an initial group stage format comprising two groups of four. The top two finishers from each pool will advance to the semi-final section.
The winner of the event will pocket US$2,500, while the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will receive US$1,500, US$1,000, and US$500, respectively. On the individual side, accolades will also be awarded to the most valuable player, the best goalkeeper, and the highest goal scorer. All matches will be staged at the Ministry of Education Ground and the National Insurance Scheme Ground on Carifesta Avenue.
The defending champions of last year’s tournament, DC Caesar Fox Secondary (Waramadong), have an automatic berth along with St. Ignatius Secondary of Region 9. The other three local representatives will emanate from the ongoing Limacol Schools Football League. Among those in contention for those three spots are Digicel champions Carmel Secondary, the resurgent Chase Academy, Bartica Secondary, and Santa Rosa Secondary.
On the other hand, the foreign contingents are Surinamese outfit VWO 4 [Voorgezet Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs 4], Trinidad and Tobago’s St. Benedict’s College, and Jamaican powerhouse Clarendon College.
At the launch of the tournament, Petra’s co-director, Troy Mendonca, maintained that the competition is “aimed at bringing together the best of each geographical location of the Caribbean at the school level”.
“It gives our boys an opportunity to showcase their talent and acts as a measuring stick for the level of football in the country. This year, we have increased the number of participating teams to eight. The new face will be Clarendon College from Jamaica”.
With the tournament growing to be a prominent feature in the region, Mendonca admitted, “It takes a lot of courage for us to pursue an event of this magnitude. However, because our title sponsor, KFC, shares the same vision as us, we forge ahead. We acknowledge the contribution and commitment made by KFC Guyana, and we salute them”.
Speaking on behalf of the title sponsor was Pamela Manasseh, the marketing manager of KFC Guyana, who pointed out that the company “is pleased to be the primary sponsor of the tournament. KFC continues to give back to the youth through this tournament”. She also revealed that live streaming of the games will be available and highlighted that the company has ensured that there is insurance coverage for all teams involved.
Present on behalf of the Ministry of Education was Nicholas Fraser, Administrator of the Allied Arts Unit. He underscored the Ministry’s commitment to the development of youth, stating, “The Ministry is very supportive, and we have noted that there are a lot of benefits to be gained from football and sports as a whole. The use of football as a tool for development is very good, and we see that students respond more. It is another sort of motivation the students have to see an end goal. We are hoping that the tournament is successful and look forward to it. We must say hats off to the organisers and our fellow stakeholders”.
Also, Assistant Director of Sports Franklin Wilson stated that the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport remains committed to the development of all sports, noting that the Petra Organisation should be commended for their continued emphasis on aiding in the creation of a student athlete culture.
Meanwhile, GFF Director of Competitions Troy Mendonca affirmed the entity’s support for initiatives that develop and advance the football landscape, adding that the Petra Organisation remains a critical stakeholder in the evolution of the discipline at all age groups, especially in the school realm.
