1 year ago
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ONIQUEKY SAMUELS, coordinator of the Caribbean Premier Showcase, says the initiative continues to open doors to the next level for Jamaican schoolboy footballers after their high school careers come to a close.
Speaking on the second day of the showcase held at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence yesterday, Samuels said the showcase is a staple of the schoolboy football post-season.
“It is very important because we have to take care of that transitional period for these young high school students,” he stated.
“Especially when they are elite players and do very well in high school, it makes a lot of sense to have them here. I feel proud of how everybody is embracing the move because the coaches that are coming down from Europe and from the US, they are enjoying the culture here in Jamaica.”
He added, “But most importantly, they are enjoying the talent that is here.”
Samuels said the showcase is one that is very dear to him as he has the lived experience of being a former schoolboy talent who made the transition to the collegiate level.
Samuels, who once represented the blue and yellow of St Elizabeth Technical High School, said playing for University of Maine at Fort Kent allowed him the opportunity to pursue tertiary education.
Now serving in the role of head coach at the university, he feels it his responsibility to afford that chance to the next generation of Jamaica’s emerging talents.
“It is very important because this is how I got my opportunity and how I got the privilege to play in the US at the collegiate level,” he explained.
“It started off for me back in 2007 when I was just a regular student at St Elizabeth Technical and I got a scholarship and I accepted the opportunity. I went to school for seven years and got four degrees, two undergrad and two master’s, and now I’m the head coach,” the showcase coordinator recalled.
“Coming back now, I am trying to open those same doors and, hopefully, in 10 or 20 years, this is still something that is going on because the top kids, whether Manning Cup or daCosta Cup, need somewhere to play where they can showcase their talents.”
Samuels said in order to ensure that all the best talents got the opportunity to showcase their talent, they work in collaboration with the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) to invite the All-Manning and All-daCosta Cup teams.
One of those players involved is Zabir Taylor, a St George’s College midfielder, who was named in the All-Manning Scholastic squad after his performances in the recently concluded Manning Cup.
Taylor is hoping that his talent will have caught the attention of the scouts and coaches at the showcase as he hopes to pursue a career in professional football.
“This is an opportunity for us to really showcase our talents and potentially get scouted, so that is obviously the end goal for us here. I think I started out strong. I had a bit of a knock, but I think I picked it up back and got to score as well,” he stated.
“The next few years, I see my self playing professionally either in Europe or even in America.”
Samuels said with the eyes of the world now on Jamaica, it is up to the players to make use of their opportunities.
“I think it really makes sense and everyone is getting their opportunity. It is up to the players now. All they have to do is to be themselves and make the best of the opportunity here.”
The showcase was a two-day event, with the first day being held on Wednesday at STETHS school ground.
English (US) ·