STATHS project well ahead of schedule
Manning Cup coach says four semi-finals in as many years to be lauded
Published:Wednesday | December 29, 2021 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
ALTHOUGH STILL focused on a three-year rebuilding project, St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) head coach, Phillip Williams, says he has been pleasantly surprised at how ahead of schedule he is, with another ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup semi-final berth.
In this truncated 2021/22 campaign, STATHS are enjoying an unexpectedly deep run into the tournament, having booked their fourth straight trip to the semi-finals. It was unexpected considering that they only qualified for the quarter-final round, thanks to the expulsions of Camperdown High and Tivoli High. The two schools were booted for fielding ineligible players.
STATHS took advantage of their good fortune, finishing second in their quarter-final group, a feat which Williams says is an achievement for a young squad still learning and maturing with each game.
“It was not really a surprise based on how they were playing, but in terms of our projection for this project being that it’s a young squad and that we are projecting to have them (contending) for 2022 and 2023,” Williams said.
“To have them reach the semi-finals this year is really an accomplishment and something that the squad must be given praise for.”
HOPING TO LEAVE A MARK
The STATHS team this year, with an average age of 15, hopes to make its own mark, similar to those teams that made the finals in 2017 and 2019. For Williams, their consistency in making deep runs over the last four seasons has been because of the culture the institution has built.
“The programme is much more than football. There are a lot of elements that need to be in place for a programme to be successful and also to compete. We have been putting in those elements, management, nutrition for the boys,” Williams said. “It’s a holistic approach and I think it is our main reason for the success that we have been having in terms of how we approach football.”
With a spot in the Manning Cup final in sight and a Champions Cup run to look forward to, Williams says that motivation will not be an issue as the youngsters’ ambitions have increased.
“In terms of the past history for the past three seasons, they know what the other teams have achieved and they want to try to equal or even surpass those teams. It is just to get them to focus,” Williams said.
“The youngsters having stated their intention of going all the way, and the coaching staff has put in the amount of preparation that will help them to achieve this.”