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THE 15TH saging of the fiery but friendly David ‘Wagga’ Hunt (DWH) Football Classic between sworn rivals Calabar High School and Kingston College at Calabar High School will honour the legacy of two of the greatest football coaches in Jamaica’s history: Leebert Halliman and Jackie Walters.
The two coaches have given their lives to the beautiful game, and, notably, won schoolboy football titles at more than one school.
Halliman won titles with two schools, and Walters won both the Manning and daCosta Cups on more than one occasion, with three different schools. Both gentlemen were contemporaries and friends of the late David Hunt.
This feast of football will take place on Saturday with an exciting triple-header filled with fervor, friendship, memories, food, drink, and football rivalry.
In the curtain raiser at 1:00 p.m., Pelicans Masters tackle Kingston Commissioners Masters. Then at 2:00 p.m., daCosta Cup double champions Dinthill High School, coached by the inimitable Lenworth ‘Teacher’ Hyde, will trade strategies with Wolmer’s Boys’ school, coached by experienced strategist Jerome Waite.
Both coaches have won their respective competitions on multiple occasions and are ranked as two of the best ever at school and club levels.
The featured game will see the Manning Cup teams of rivals Kingston College and Calabar High clashing for the prestigious David Wagga Hunt Trophy.
Calabar are the defending champions, having tagged the eventual Manning Cup champions 2-0 last year at the Mona Bowl.
This amazing, unceasing rivalry is real in every sport played between the two institutions, with winners placed not only on a podium but in the hearts of supporters near and far. This game will carry that importance.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the featured game will get the Paulette Rhoden trophy in honour of the late former patron of the event.
The DWH Football Classic was established in 2009 by the David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Foundation to honour Hunt, who passed in 2007, and to raise funds to assist students at both Kingston College and Calabar.
Hunt, a past student of Kingston College, revived Calabar High School’s football programme and coached them to their first Manning Cup and Olivier Shield titles in 28 years.
Aside from football, Hunt was an avid track and field fanatic and analyst who pioneered the annual Champs Preview Magazine, recording the achievements of athletes at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
The annual scholarship disbursement to 24 recipients, (12 from each school), is now $150,000. In the past, there have also been grants of $500,000 to each school for a project of their choice.
Fans will be treated to an afternoon of great rivalry and friendship. A contribution of $1,000 for adults and $500 for students with ID will be collected at the gate. Refreshments will be on sale.
English (US) ·