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THE NATIONAL Tackle Football Association (NTFA) announced that four Jamaican athletes have been offered full-ride scholarships following a recent gridiron football showcase held at the UWI Mona Bowl in collaboration with the Sul Ross State University (SRSU) from Texas.
Tyrece ‘Tank’ Thompson, Sheldon Clarke, Nejhaun ‘Fridge’ Johnson and Dantae Bennett are the four athletes who have received full-ride scholarships from the SRSU, who compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Along with the four recipients, NTFA also announced that SRSU has extended conditional offers to several elite underclassmen, pending academic eligibility and NCAA Eligibility Center approval.
Lee Hays, head coach of SRSU, was left impressed with the talent on the display during the joint football showcase.
“I was extremely excited about the opportunity to come to Jamaica and evaluate these athletes, not just as players, but as people,” he said.
“The results were better than I could have hoped.”
The showcase, held on June 26, saw 35 of Jamaica’s top tackle football prospects showcase their skills across a series of drills and events, organised to test their speed, agility, as well as offensive and defensive abilities.
It was the second major showcase held by the NTFA, following their All-Jamaica Gridiron Bowl which was held at the Jamaica College Ashenheim Stadium in April.
The showcases have seen Jamaica attract attention from not just SRSU, but other NCAA programmes as well.
Brad Nelson, a former coach at Catholic High Baton Rouge, believes Jamaican athletes could soon attract global attention for their potential in the sport.
“These Jamaican athletes have the talent to compete with anyone. The world needs to take notice,” he said.
NTFA founder Jerome Harriott said the association stands committed to providing opportunities for Jamaican athletes to pursue their goals through the sport of tackle football.
Having seen Jamaica’s impact in other sports like track and field, Harriott believes Jamaica has the potential to do the same in gridiron football.
“Jamaica has dominated track & field, now we’re conquering gridiron football,” Harriott said.
“The NTFA is creating jobs, scholarships, and global opportunities for our youth.”
Harriott explained that the NTFA has been paving the way for athletes to earn lucrative opportunities through the NCAA, the Canadian Football League and the National Football League International Player Pathway programme.
The association also offers literacy programmes with its partners to help better athletes’ prospects off the field.
The NTFA hopes to widen their reach by introducing the sport to more young players through their connections at the high-school level.
The organisation aims to host further NCAA programmes, while seeking to secure additional corporate sponsors.
English (US) ·