Revamp Schoolboy Football

Introduction
The Manning Cup and daCosta Cup are the oldest and most popular schoolboy football competitions in Jamaica. The competitions have existed for many decades now and have become to many an annual spectacle. Many rivalries have been built up over the years which have generated much interest from students, past and present, and others far and wide. These competitions have helped in the development of many of Jamaica’s most talented and successful footballers.
Over the last decade or so these competitions have faced, and are still facing, a number of significant challenges that threaten to undermine their relevance. These challenges range from financial concerns to the effects of government policies and competitions from other age group football leagues. There is no shortage of media reports that seek to highlight the perilous state of the Manning and daCosta Cups but despite this there remains significant support for the competitions. Still however changes are needed to ensure the relevance of these competitions.
This paper recommends that the Manning and daCosta Cup football competitions be restructured to account for:
1. development purposes;
2. government/JTA policies;
3. the current financial concerns

Business Case
The state of and the challenges facing Jamaica’s schoolboy football competitions can be seen from
the text below. It is to be noted that this list is not exhaustive and that the challenges stated below are interrelated.

Competition from Age Group Leagues

· “The Manning Cup has been lauded and even more has been made of it in years gone by than the National Premier League. In recent years, much of that focus has been diverted and there is a general consensus that the level of competition has diminished somewhat.” The reason for the decline: “The players today go to play the minor leagues and the other club leagues. So the development of those players that takes place at schools is missing. When a player gets to 17he out of school because he hadn’t been getting the grades so you have to pick younger players who aren’t developed enough for the Manning Cup level.” (Michael Francis, former. Coach at Wolmer’s High School) – The Daily Gleaner, October 18, 2004; Francis Gives Views on Manning Cup Decline.
· “While this years Manning Cup promises to be one of the most open affairs that the competition has produced in recent years some coaches are worried about the quality being produced in schoolboy football’s urban area showpiece. A number of prominent schools have been affected by the number of age group club football leagues that are being played in the summer. Normally the players that are involved in these competitions are merely fringe players, but the Manning Cup has seen the lowering of the average age of those playing the Under-19 competition and these players have now formed the core of many of the more prominent teams. – The Jamaica Star, September 7, 2005; Manning Cup Feeling the Heat from Summer Leagues
· “As far as KC (Kingston College) is concerned, any player that is going to play Manning Cup for, we demand 100 percent commitment. We won’t hinder him from playing for his club, but he won’t be playing for KC.” – Trevor ‘Jumpy’ Harris, former coach at KC. The Jamaica Star (September 2005)
· “Camperdown High School suffered badly at the hands of the club league scene and the principal of the school, Cynthia Cook made an even stronger gesture by pulling the team out of the schoolboy competition.” - The Jamaica Star, September 7, 2005; Manning Cup Feeling the Heat from Summer Leagues
· “At one time many players would be in training before the summer begins but now you only get a handful because they are all playing for their clubs. That shouldn’t be more important to them. What do you do when you have to put a team together at the last minute before the competition begins.” – Dave Clarke, coach at Tivoli Comprehensive High School. The Jamaica Star (September 2005)
· “The competitions (club leagues) allow the players to gain some experience before the Manning Cup but some schools suffer the consequences of this because the level of training at the Manning Cup is higher, so if they train with their clubs they won’t improve… These teams have talented players and could do well. However, playing as a team might prove a stretch for them and bring about their demise. – Jerome Waite, coach at Charlie Smith Comprehensive High School. The Jamaica Star (September 2005)
· “… While he continues to coach at the schoolboy level, [Patrick] Walters, who is responsible for scouting players for the national youth programme, believes that unless a leaf is taken out of track and field’s book, then local football will not reach anywhere. Using Camperdown’s top sprinter Remaldo Rose as an example, Walters explains that Rose came through the system, competing from class three, up to class one and now at the national level. ‘Within the school system, players should be identified and taken through the various stages of development, like what is happening in track and field.’ ‘The focus has always been on the team, but what about the individuals who need to be developed? … there is no consistent development in football within the school system, when compared to what is happening in track and field.’” – The Jamaica Star (September May 4, 2007); Walters: Youth Football Should Follow Example Set by Track and Field.

Government Policy - Conversion of New Secondary Schools to High Schools

· The government of Jamaica as part of its education reform programme instituted a policy that led to a significant increase in the membership of ISSA.
· The JTA developed policy proposals for converting New Secondary Schools into high schools. The Ministry of Education adopted and introduced this policy in the late 1980s and its complete implementation was carried out in the 1990s. The first area of impact was in the various sporting competitions for secondary schools (JTA website).
· Though there have been positive impacts there have also been negative impacts that pose serious threats to the Manning and daCosta Cup competitions.
· The resulting rapid growth from the above policy implementation has also led to many problems for ISSA, affected quality of the competitions (‘the brand’), and also has financial effects.
· Many traditional school rivalries have been destroyed and thus interest in the competitions has been affected negatively. This also affects competitions financially.
· Scheduling problems in the event of contingencies, for example the recent inclement weather that affected Jamaica as reported in the Jamaica Observer.
· The immense schedule of games to be played creates intense pressure on young players who have to focus on academics and have other concerns external to school. One report stated that some seventy-odd games were to be played in one week.
· Some schools ill-prepared for the competition and forced to field very weak teams, forced to withdraw mid-competitions, or forced to withdraw before the competitions.

Current Financial Concerns

· Despite record sponsorship for its 2007/08 competitions ISSA still faces serious financial concerns.
· One senior coach lamented on the occasion of the sponsorship announcement for the 200708 season that despite the record sponsorship figure, there were other aspects of a schools football programme that needed financial support, for example, nutrition.
· Coaches are forced, for want of a better word; to beg in order to see their teams through the competitions.
· Due to lack of adequate financial resources young athletes often times have insufficient gear to use

The Proposal

· ISSA reverts to competition composition format that existed between the years 1992 – 1995.
§There will be a two-tiered competition structure
§ Teams ‘serious’ about football compete together. ‘Not so serious’ teams compete together
§in other words, reverting to having competitions for high schools, secondary schools and private schools.
§Reduces the number of teams in the Manning and daCosta Cup
§Reduces the length of the season
§Ensures that schools with history and vibrant alumni base participate in the competition(s)
§Ensures that schools with serious and competitive programs participate
§Matches played only two days a week – Wednesday and Saturday’s (according with tradition)

· ISSA separates the Manning and daCosta Cups from the Walker and Ben Francis KO Cups
§All four competitions have sponsorship value. By separating them ISSA can generate more value
§Proposal is for Walker Cup (urban) and Ben Francis Cup (rural) to be played as an all island KO competition starting in late July – August each year as a prelude to the main competitions
§Participation in KO competitions open to any school
§Walker Cup winner plays Ben Francis Cup winner for all island title
§This format is similar to the format used in English football i.e. the EPL and the FA Cup KO.

· ISSA can command greater sponsorship funds by separation the main schoolboy competitions, the Manning and daCosta Cups, from the KO formats the Walker and Ben Francis Cups.

· One or more sponsors could fund the main competitions and another the KO competitions

· Coaches in the Manning and daCosta Cups have certain minimum certification/qualification
§ISSA has a great role to play in youth development as it relates to football
§Having coaches with a certain minimum coaching qualification will expose youth players to quality instruction