THE WEEKLY GLEANER | APRIL 7 - 30, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE 7 ON SATURDAY, June 26, 2021, The Griffin Football Club staged the 17th edition of the Jamaica Alumni Football Tournament (JAFT) at the Haffen Valley Park, Bronx. This reunion event turned out to be a pleasant one for football. A total of twelve teams participated. Wolmer’s Boys’High School, Excelsior High School, Clarendon College, Camperdown High School, Calabar High School, and Herbert Morrison Technical High School were in Group A. Group B consisted of Jamaica College, Dinthill Technical High School, William Knibb Memorial High School, Kingston College, St George’s College and St Andrew Technical High School. Football fans from all walks of life came out and supported the family fun-filled event. The park was bubbling! Tents were erected and all participating schools donned their jerseys with pride and confidence. Fans represented their alumni associations by parading in their school colours - purple and white, light blue, dark blue, and green and black, maroon and gold, green and gold, maroon and blue, blue and gold, maroon and beige, and red and blue. This informal, outdoor, family-style setting was just what the doctor ordered. Nostalgia was in the air, as fans came out to see their favourite players from yesteryear. The attendance was very encouraging. Vendors had a variety of food items that were available - steamed fish, curried chicken, bun and cheese, beef patties, and potato pudding, among other items. Retired FIFA referee, Steven A. Bucknor, OJ, whistled the start of the first game between defending champions Excelsior High School, led by captain Paul ‘Goosey’ Bennett, and Wolmer’s, led by captain Paul Young. FINALS Kingston College and Dinthilll were the qualifiers from Group B, while Calabar and Wolmer’s emerged from Group A. In the first semi-final game, Kingston College defeated Wolmer’s. In the second semi-final, Calabar dispatched Dinthill to meet Kingston College in the finals. The final game was a mouthwatering contest, with both teams playing some attractive football. The game ended 0-0, but Calabar prevailed in the penalty shootout. Damion‘Benji’ Benjamin was the tournament’s MVP, and the leading goal scorer was Jefferson ‘Bumpy’ Hinds of Kingston College. The best dressed team prize went to Wolmer’s. The most disciplined team for the tournament was Herbert Morrisonl. The two-day tournament was a resounding success, and this was echoed by all who were in attendance. A very special ‘thank you’ to the players and supporters of the various schools involved. Of course, the successes of these events are usually hinged on the level of sponsorship, publicly acknowledged the CODE RED Restaurant, Bronx, for providingmeals for all the teams. The overall responses and feedbacks have fuelled the organisers, as they look forward to a bigger and better event this June. Bobby ‘Tego’ Austin, tournament director. Jamaica Alumni Football Tournament 2021 recap DRESSED TO THE 8s. Wolmer’s Boys were voted Best Dressed Team at the 2021 renewal of the eight-a-side Jamaica Alumni football Tournament, held in the Bronx, New York. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS WE ARE THE CHAMPS: Calabar High School past students won the 2021 renewal of the Jamaica alumni football festival, held in the Bronx, beating Kingston College in the finals. NEW YORK, NY: The Jamaica Alumni Football Tournament- is going home to where it all started some 25 years ago, at the Evander Childs High School stadium, on Gun Hill Road, North Bronx. THE TOURNAMENT will be played on the weekend of June 25-26, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. on Saturday and at 9 a.m. on championship Sunday. Tournament director Bobby ‘Tego Bob’ Austin said that Evander will allow the committee to accommodate more teams as players come out of the COVID-19 cocoon. He said that for the 18th staging of the very popular competition among past students of Jamaican high schools, some changes will be made. These include competitions for ‘masters’, over 45 years old, and ‘submasters’, for those under 45 years. Fifteen teams, lead by champions Calabar, will contest the Masters division, while eight schools will play in the under-45 section. The Masters will play in three groups of five (5) with the top two from each group and the two best third place finishers advancing to the singe elimination (KO), quarter-final round. For the Submsters, they will play in two groups of four, with the top two schools advancing to the play-off. As was the case last year when the competition returned after a break, patrons will be able to cheer on some of their favourite players from yesteryear who had starring roles in the Manning and DaCosta Cup competitions. “Based on the response from last year when the All-DaCosta team handcuffed the All-Manning selection with a 3-1 flogging, that game will be part of our Sunday afternoon schedule,” gushed Austin, head coach of the Griffin Football Club Academy, sponsors of the tournament. Completing the weekend schedule will be a skills competition for women players and amatchup between players from the Griffin FC Academy’s Under-12 and a team to be determined. Jamaica alumni soccerfest returns to the Bronx Tournament set for Evander Childs High School stadium, June 25-26 Bobby Austin. CONTRIBUTED
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