3 days ago
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NATIONAL TACKLE Football Association (NTFA) executive director, Jerome Harriott, is tickled pink at the way an initiative surrounding the All-Jamaica Gridiron Bowl, set for this weekend, has started.
The NTFA scheduled a weeklong series of practices to culminate with the Gridiron Bowl this weekend and it is the hope that the events will lead to routes to the National Football League (NFL) and to scholarships for players on the island.
“Today was an absolutely fantastic day at the University of the West Indies,” said Harriott to a Gridiron community on WhatsApp yesterday.
The training session at the UWI Mona Bowl saw athletes performing in front of National Football League (NFL) scouts and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches.
The initiative is also endorsed by NFL wide receiver Joshua Palmer of the Buffalo Bills and SCORE International, an international development group.
Palmer, who is of Jamaican descent, said the opportunity to mentor Jamaica’s young athletes goes beyond the sport.
“I’m honoured to support Jamaica’s football movement,” he said. “This is bigger than sports. It’s about changing lives and showing the world our talent.”
Jerome Harriott, executive director of NTFA, said the initiative is aimed at providing opportunities for athletes to further their careers whether through the collegiate or professional ranks.
This would include earnings scholarships to various colleges or the NFL’s International Player Pathway programme.
“Jamaica has dominated track and field, now we’re conquering gridiron football,” Harriott said.
“The NTFA will create jobs, scholarships, and global opportunities for our youth while putting Jamaica on the gridiron map.”
The week-long activities will see 80 athletes, aged 18 to 21, taking part in various sessions set to emulate the format used by the NFL combine.
The players will also undergo professional evaluations alongside football clinics led by SCORE International coaches.
Proud partner
David Johnson, a representative for SCORE International, said the organisation is pleased to be a part of the NTFA’s project to help develop the sport in Jamaica.
“We’re proud to partner with NTFA to develop world-class athletes and a sustainable football ecosystem in Jamaica,” he said.
The athletes will be split into two teams; Team Blue and Team Grey, and will enter a draft day on Friday to determine team selections.
The two teams will be coached by former head coach of Virginia Union University, Mark James and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player David Johnson.
On Saturday, the initiative’s showcase game will kick off with the two teams going head to head at the Jamaica College Ashenheim Stadium at 5:30 p.m.
But yesterday, in the first of the practice sessions, Harriott said he saw much promise.
“We saw and worked with some absolutely elite athletes that have opened the eyes of the NCAA coaches,” said the executive director.
The initiative moves to Brooks Park in Mandeville tomorrow and Harriott is hoping for just as much success.
“Scholarships are coming,” he declared.
English (US) ·