Cop brings youths together in football meet at Ottley Hall

An initiative undertaken by Sergeant Jules Morgan of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, last weekend, aimed at bringing youths of four sub-urban communities together, has been hailed as “fantastic and successful”.

Two days of football, condensed in a knockout competition for youths under the age of 18, took place at the Ottley Hall playing field, involving representative outfits from that locale, as well as Edinboro, Paul’s Avenue and Richmond Hill.

Reflecting on the two days, a satisfied Morgan stated: “The goal of the weekend’s football matches was to foster better relations among the youngsters from areas around Kingstown, for them to get to know one another and be friendly and respectful on and off the field, as too much violence is being perpetrated by the older adults and it spills into the school age teenagers”.

Morgan revealed that the choice of a football competition was hatched from a start made by a colleague from the Ottley Hall substation, who has organized the youths of the area into a football unit.

In the end, it was Volcanoes who finished tops, beating Ottley Hall 3-1 in kicks from the penalty spot, after both teams had played to a 1-1 draw in regulation.

Edinboro beat Richmond Hill 3-1 in the third play-off.

Morgan said his efforts would not have been successful had it not been for the help of others.

“I must thank Mr Ian Sardine for the loan of his goalposts and the CWSA for the temporary connection of water; Miss Laverne Thomas for her electricity connection; Eggy B for transportation, as well as Carmen Lee for the provision of snacks, with donations of bottled water coming from Mr Cummings and Miss Bennett and Facey Trading,” Morgan said with gratitude.

He was also grateful to Venold Coombs, president of the SVG Football Federation, Grant Connell of the Grassroot Tennis Club, Devron Poyer and Felix Dublin and his team at the National Lotteries Authority.

And, based on the success of last weekend’s efforts, persons from the area can look forward to a similar set of activities soon, with Boxing Day the preferred date.

Morgan revealed that a soccerama is in the pipeline for December 26, involving six villages.

Last weekend’s activities were held under the theme, “Beat the ball, beat the keeper, but don’t beat up on each other”.