Next Cup first day encourages organisers

The second staging of the Next Cup football competition is already being hailed as a major success, with chief organiser Paula Pinnock saying she is delighted at both the turnout and the overall quality of play on display.

The two-day tournament, which kicked off yesterday at the University of the West Indies Bowl, has attracted 27 teams, featuring a mix of clubs, academies and schools.

Several organisations have entered multiple teams, highlighting the rapid growth and enthusiasm surrounding the event.

Pinnock noted that the competition has delivered on its promise of excitement and competitiveness, with even more anticipated as the tournament heads into its decisive final day today.

“Day two is going to be great and we are going to see teams being crowned champions, and there will also be the conclusion of the Girlz Can Play champions,” said Pinnock.

“Of course, we are definitely looking forward to seeing the big guns. We have the likes of Cavalier SC and Phoenix Academy playing in the tournament, and so it is exciting and it is competitive, and that is what we aim to do.”

Pinnock added that the primary goal of the Next Cup is to create an enjoyable and developmental environment for young players.

“We wanted the kids to have fun playing football. We have 27 teams, including clubs, academies and schools,” she said.

Running concurrently with the main event is the Girlz Can Play Too tournament, which features eight teams battling for top honours and continues to shine a spotlight on the growth of the girls’ game.

Participants range from the under-8 to under-15 age groups, with some teams registering as many as five squads across the different categories.

“This is growth, and, of course, we are going to crown the tournament champions, which is the team that has the overall best performance. So we are excited and we are expecting great things on the final day,” she said.

“Today (Saturday), we have Jamaican football greats Ricardo ‘BiBi’ Gardner and Ian ‘Pepe’ Goodison supporting the event, and this is what we want to see – positive energy. And the competition has also been endorsed by the Jamaica Football Federation,” Pinnock pointed out.