David Thompson Classic to kick off today

The journey to glory begins today for 30 teams as the 2016 edition of the David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils Football Classic gets off the ground. With a first-place purse of $30,000 hanging in the balance for the eventual winners, teams from across the length and breadth of the island will be letting it all hang out over the next three months.

 

The tournament, which is produced by the Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, is in its fifth year and continues to fulfill its mandate of providing a platform for young football talents and small enterprise owners within each community. Speaking during a media briefing to announce details for this year’s competition, Minster of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steven Blackett explained that although the competition would be operating under a reduced budget, it was still going to serve its purpose of stimulating the population at the community level. 

 

“Each year, the tournament commemorates the outstanding commitment of the late Prime Minister, the Honourable David Thompson, to football at the community level. It is seen as a means of social inclusion and social mobility and my ministry is whole-heartedly committed to ensuring that this tournament remains on the national calender, especially this year as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our nation. While we might not be able to engage in the flair, pomp and pageantry that we would typically wish to see in this jubilee year, it is a testament to our commitment to the community and youth development that this tournament is being organised and being played,” he said.

 

The action gets underway this evening at the University of the West Indies’ Usain Bolt Sports Complex from 4:00 PM. With an opening ceremony and parade of teams slated to get the ball rolling, the defending champions will be playing their first Zone 2 fixture against St. Michael North-West at 6:00 PM, while St. John are slated to take on St. Michael South-Central at 8:00 PM in a Zone 5 match-up. (MP)