2 months ago
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With the 2025 Reinas Cup set to kick off tomorrow, founder Neo Oxford said its record of producing national youth players and providing a path for overseas opportunities has made the competition a standard-bearer for developing women’s football in Jamaica.
The Reinas Cup will kick off its opening week of action today at the UWI Bowl, Mona, with all six teams in the competition taking to the field in a triple header.
Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner ahead of the competition’s start, Oxford said, “Reinas Cup has become a household name in Jamaica. A number of our girls have earned scholarships through our years of competition and that is what the major aim is.
“Our record of over 40 girls going to colleges from our three years of playing the Reinas Cup speaks for itself and its importance.
“There is also a major gap in Jamaica as to where girls are able to play within their age group and this is what the Reinas Cup allows,” he noted.
Oxford explained the competition not only creates a platform where young girls are able to develop their craft, but also provides a competitive environment where several of the nation’s top players are introduced to top-level competition.
Within its three years, the Reinas Cup has grown into a competition where teams from all over the island are interested in competing.
This, Oxford said, ensures development is not only focused in Kingston, but on an islandwide scale.
“We have Reinas Academy from Kingston, Next Generation Academy from St Catherine and Proven Academy from St Thomas who have been around since its inception,” said Oxford.
“We have added three new teams as well with Reno from Westmoreland, Eltham Eagles from St Catherine and Los Perfectos from Mandeville so we can now say we are an all-island competition.”
He continued, “It’s buzzing all over the country and the girls are extremely excited and ready to go.
“Having one team from Kingston, one from St Thomas, one from Westmoreland, one from Mandeville and two from St Catherine, the best talents in the parishes are now under one roof.”
Oxford also expects this year’s staging will maintain its high standards.
“I’m expecting the same level of competitiveness,” he insisted.
“The level of competition has been greatly competitive hence in these past three years, we’ve had three different champions.”
This year’s staging will see ISSA Construction and XPress Sports as title sponsors for the tournament, with Coldwell Banker, Kind Hearts, Blue Mahoe Capital, MG Sports, McNamee Sports Media and Tai Images on board as sponsors.
Oxford said it is through these sponsorships that matches will be broadcasted live.
“All matches of the Reinas Cup will be broadcasted on the MG Sports platforms. We have done this for the past three years, ensuring coaches overseas get to watch what we have on show.”
Today’s games (All games to be played at UWI Mona Bowl)
Eltham Eagles vs Wifi United at 1pm
Reno vs Next Generation Academy at 3pm
Reinas Academy vs Los Perfectos at 5pm
English (US) ·