Christopher Ellis finds purpose in football
Son of rocksteady legend hosts tournament with J$50,000 prize
Published:Saturday | April 9, 2022 | 12:07 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
Trench Town, the home of two of Jamaica’s leading Premier League football teams, Arnett Gardens and Boys’ Town, will play host to an action-packed football tournament this Sunday.
The event, which is organised by Christopher Ellis, the youngest son of the late reggae and rocksteady great Alton Ellis, who also called Trench Town home, will feature six teams vying for a chance at winning J$50,000.
“It’s no secret that football is a much-loved sport or a favourite pastime of the people in Trench Town. Nearly every man, boy and child loves to play and this inspired the idea to keep the tournament,” Ellis told The Gleaner.
Thinking further on how to make it interesting and worth the while of the teams, he added: “The cash prize was included as a big incentive.”
Ellis, who was born in the United Kingdom, followed in his father’s footsteps and in 2013, his debut EP titled Better Than Love was released. The singer-songwriter remains dedicated to the music, and has been keeping up appearances on the live music scene in London. He recently celebrated his 40th milestone and in searching for a meaningful project that also embodies the spirit of teaching and mentorship his father instilled, Ellis embarked on planning this event.
“For a short while I actually thought I was going to be a professional footballer…it was my only other love outside of music,” he revealed.
The football tournament takes place at the 5th Street Ball Field and the action is expected to start at 2 p.m. It will not be unusual for Trench Town residents, as the inner-city community has long had an affair with football.
Ellis said he has been promised donations by musical luminaries to make the sporting event go on with less challenges. It is not the first time Ellis has planned a tournament, but it was previously geared towards children and only had a cash prize of J$5,000.
Ellis said that as a non-resident of Trench Town, he feels advocacy for the improvements regarding rehabilitatory and preventive extra-curricular activities is a mission that he may be charged with taking on, because “I really have love for the people [there] and any kind of smile I can add to their faces is valuable to me”.