The SCFA is vibrant and kicking – Reid

St Catherine Football Association (SCFA) president, Peter Reid, says football in the parish is vibrant and kicking and that it is very difficult for someone with no history of service in the SCFA to have the answers the association requires.

Reid was responding to chairperson of women’s football at the JFF, Elaine Walker-Brown, who has declared her intention to challenge Reid for the St Catherine FA presidency at the next SCFA voting annual general meeting (AGM).

“When I heard she (Walker-Brown)had said nothing is being done in St Catherine and football is dying, I was taken aback. Currently we are the only parish that have a Major League division one and division two, we are one of only two FAs that have a complete youth football leagues from Under-13 to Under-20. We are also the only parish that have a total of over 40 clubs, so is that an indication that football is dying?

“It is very vibrant, the person that said that is not aware of what is happening in St Catherine and they are not speaking from a position of knowledge.

It’s a figment of someone’s imagination, they are not properly informed,” Reid stated

He said that he found it difficult to understand why an outstanding administrator like Walker-Brown has never offered her services to the St Catherine FA, and he feels that working with the association helps one to better understand the challenges the organisation faces and how to deal with them.

“It is strange that persons who live in the parish and work in football but have never worked with the FA, believe they have the answers for the FA. You don’t see the need to serve on the board in different capacities before you want to lead.

Working hard

“But we are here working hard, and we know that the clubs recognise our work. But running a football association and running a football competition for five to six weeks are two different things, and we are sure we are doing very well in St Catherine despite the challenges. Every parish association in Jamaica has challenges but we do our best to overcome these challenges,” he reasoned.

Although sponsorship still remains hard to come by, Reid is convinced that they are doing a good job of developing football in the parish and is confident the affiliates will vote in his favour at the next voting AGM.

“We have a vibrant football community. We have challenges with sponsorship, but we try our best to get this sponsorship. “I am very confident.

I believe in the work that I have done since we have been given the privilege to lead the association and the clubs are satisfied, but you cannot rest on your laurels. You have to keep working,” he said. The next voting AGM for the St Catherine Football Association is March 2020.