Walker-Brown to challenge for St Catherine FA presidency

Chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Women’s Football Committee, Elaine Walker-Brown, announced recently that she will be challenging long-serving president of the St Catherine Football Association (SCFA), Peter Reid, for the position at the association’s next annual general meeting.

Walker-Brown said she has received countless calls from clubs and affiliates in the parish, encouraging her to contest the presidency, and after a period of contemplation, she concluded that she has the necessary skills to take the association forward.

“It’s about two years now I was approached by some clubs from the parish. The clubs like what I have done through the Institute of Sports and they admire my administrative skills.

“I have worked with women’s football over the years and they believe that football in the parish is dying, and seeing that I live in the parish, I need to come and help.

I was contemplating it. I asked them to give me time, I have talked to persons, consulted with others and the interest has grown, and I have thought about it and have now decided to take on the challenge to help bring the parish back together,” she told The Gleaner.

Although she has never worked with the SCFA, Walker-Brown said she has watched the decline of the sport in the parish, and with the opportunities available, she believes it’s time to rejuvenate the association and provide options for the youngsters playing the game.

“What’s happening to the youths in our parish, when you look at the opportunity for youths, they can achieve. So we need to take it serious. I think I have the know-how and I can get support. So I decided to go public. I am going to challenge for the position,” she declared.

She revealed that the incumbent, Reid, is well aware of her challenge and that there is no bad blood between them over the post.

Reid’s aware

“A lot of persons see me and say Mr Reid told them I am going to challenge him, so he’s aware. But one of the things I was hoping was that the St Catherine FA would lift themselves and do some work so that I wouldn’t have to come in, maybe to assist them, but not to take the helm.

“This is not about power, it’s about the sport and youth development. If they (SCFA) get up and get things together, there would be no need to run.

But they are lagging behind and there is no progress, and football has reached a high level, and we need to get something done and give the youths an opportunity from this parish,” she said.