Mon | Nov 25, 2024

KSAFA youth leagues back after long break

Published:Friday | April 22, 2022 | 12:06 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
KSAFA president, Wayne Shaw.
KSAFA president, Wayne Shaw.

After a more than two years absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) youth leagues are set to return this weekend with the playing of the Valeo-sponsored competitions.

The competitions which are scheduled to begin tomorrow will run for 12 weeks. Teams will compete in the Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17 age groups. Fifteen teams will contest the Under-13 and Under-15 competition, while 13 teams will take part in the Under-17 league. Matches will be played at the Barbican and Constant Spring fields.

President of KSAFA, Wayne Shaw, says his association is delighted that its football competitions are making a return.

“I am elated because it has been more than two years since any football has been played in the KSAFA leagues and we are starting out with the youth competitions, and I want to say thanks to Valeo for coming on board with this tournament,” said Shaw.

Shaw added that the development of football in KSAFA has suffered a lot due to the pandemic and, therefore, he is a little disappointed that a lot more clubs did not enter this year’s competition.

“This is our inaugural competition but not all the clubs in KSAFA bought into it, but come next year, I expect all the KSAFA clubs to participate in this league,” he said.

COMPETITIONS

“However, we are expecting some exciting football over the next 12 weeks because the players are very enthusiastic about this competition. The clubs have been training and they are glad to be back on the field of play,” he said. “We have plans to start our senior competitions in a few months and this is a good way to move into these leagues.

“I know that our senior players in KSAFA are very eager for their competitions to begin because they have also been waiting very long, and so we are doing everything that we can to ensure that we have these competitions under way very soon,” he said.