DIVIDED WE STAND

A NUMBER of ISSA/WATA Manning Cup coaches have expressed mixed views on whether the Corporate Area schoolboy football competition should resume following the devastating passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which wreaked havoc on Jamaica’s western end last week.

The Manning Cup, contested among corporate area schools, and its rural counterpart, the daCosta Cup, were both suspended by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) as the island continues to recover from the storm. Hurricane Melissa has claimed more than 30 lives and left widespread destruction across western parishes.

While some coaches believe that football can help restore national morale and provide an emotional outlet for young players, others feel it would be unfair to restart the competition if rural schools, many of whom suffered the brunt of the damage are unable to do the same.

Craig Butler, head coach of former champions Mona High, strongly supports a swift resumption of the competition, pointing to football’s power to uplift and unite the nation in difficult times.

“Football is something that unifies a nation, that can uplift people, that can bring joy and right now this country needs joy,” Butler said.

“We understand the challenges people face and that many have lost everything, but let’s not lose football too because football is what can motivate and uplift people. Let’s continue to play football, make the fans and parents happy, and go out there and do the job.”

Butler noted that both rural and urban teams should be allowed to resume play as soon as possible, outlining that football could serve as a source of motivation for affected youth.

“I think they are having meetings, but I don’t see why Kingston shouldn’t restart. More importantly, it’s imperative that the rural areas do restart,” he said.

“Just imagine you have a lot of players who have lost their homes, football can help motivate them and get them going again. It would be wise for ISSA to restart the competition; if they don’t, we’re going to have more problems,” Butler, whose team last won the Manning Cup in 2023.

However, Christopher Nicholas, coach of Tivoli Gardens High, disagrees. He insists that the Manning Cup should only resume if the daCosta Cups is able to continue simultaneously.

“It should resume only if the daCosta Cup is able to resume too,” Nicholas said.

“It will be total selfishness to know that these youngsters in the rural areas who can play this year and can’t play next year are watching their peers in the Manning Cup playing and winning a trophy while they didn’t get a chance. That’s just not fair.”

EMOTIONAL STATUS

Nicholas also expressed concern for the emotional wellbeing of rural players who have been deeply affected by the hurricane.

“I don’t think it will be a good feeling, it would be traumatising for the youths in the daCosta Cup,” he added. “My players do want to play, but they don’t really understand what went on, especially since they weren’t directly affected by the hurricane.”

Meanwhile, Anthony Patrick, coach of last year’s beaten Manning Cup finalists St Catherine High, supports the resumption of the competition. He said that football serves as a lifeline for many young Jamaicans who face difficult circumstances.

“I think it is the best thing to let it resume because with all that has happened, we must remember that football is these youth’s life,” Patrick said.

“Some of them don’t have anything else to turn to, and when you talk about peer pressure in their communities, things like crime and violence, football saves a lot of these youths from that.” St Catherine lost the 2024 final 3-1 to Kingston College.

Patrick underscored that his players are eager to return to the field despite their concern for peers affected by the disaster.

“My players are eager to go out and play because they have been training and are still upbeat and hopeful for the restart,” he said.

“But they do think about what happened with the hurricane and sympathise with those who have been affected.”

Meanwhile, The Gleaner has been reliable informed that ISSA, the local governing body for high school sports in Jamaica will be making an official announcement on both competitions this week.