The prestigious KFC Goodwill series U18 football championship which caps off the school’s football calendar is set to run off for a fifth installment in December.
This year’s competition features two top sides from Trinidad and Tobago, St Benedicts College and Speyside High School as well as 2023 champions from Jamaica Clarendon College.
The other teams will be the first and second place team from the upcoming school’s football league along with interior teams Waramadong (D C Ceasar Fox Secondary) and St Ignatius Secondary.
Jamaica’s Clarendon College, in their debut season, clinched the title by beating former champion and Trinidad and Tobago’s St Benedict’s College 2-1.
Co-Director of Petra, Troy Mendonca expressed thanks to the sponsors for the belief in the products and its impact, saying, “Us being in the 5th year is a strong statement of our intention for this tournament to be a true Caribbean tournament and we are thankful for the confidence by the executives of KFC Guyana in supporting this tournament for the fifth year.”
“We are equally grateful to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sports for their support and we want to thank the honorable Minister Priya Manikchand and Charles Ramson Jr., as well as Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussein and Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle,” Mendonca said.
Assistant Director of Sport Franklyn Wilson commended the organizers Petra for staying the course and keeping the tournament going despite the trying times.
‘Five years with KFC and many more years with organizing youth football and setting a solid foundation for Guyana’s football to thrive. The MC mentioned that the Petra organization is not doing this without challenges but challenges come not to make you weaker but to make you stronger,” Wilson added.
Head of the Unit of allied arts at the Ministry of Education, Nicholas Fraser also sent congratulations on reaching the milestone of five years.
“You have to continue to work harder. The Ministry has the good fortune of working with good organizations over the years, one of them is the Petra Organization and they have worked with us to ensure we have a calendar of events for football that spans both primary and secondary school – it is something that as a former athlete myself, I know that children look forward too,” He said.
Sadia Strand, Director of Marketing at KFC Guyana said the company was elated to continue the worthwhile investment and sees the need and tremendous benefit of their support over the years with its reach to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.
The tournament had a first prize of half a million Guyana dollars equivalent to $2,500. USD which was sponsored by His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali with $300,000. equivalent $1,500. USD for second place along with trophies and medals.
This year winning purse it set to be provided by title sponsor KFC Guyana.
The final is set for Sunday, December 22, 2024 at the Ministry of Education ground.
