Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

Representative of the Destiny Youth Club in Flankers, Monetgo Bay, Vanessa Lawrence, accepts a football from Sandals Resort International, chief executive officer (CEO) Adam Stewart (second left) during the launch of their football outreach programme at the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre in Montego Bay, on Tuesday. Also in the photo are (back, from left): Member of Parliament for East Central St. James, Edmund Bartlett; President of the Montego Bay Rotary East, Winston McKane and Councillor for the Flankers division, Charles Sinclair. There are eight female football teams in the inner-city community. More than 200 footballs were presented to youth clubs, football teams and community members in the special ceremony to kick-start the project. - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Community sports in western Jamaica received a major shot-in-the arm following the presentation of more than 200 footballs to teams and youth groups in Montego Bay's inner-city communities on Tuesday.

The brainchild of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Chief Executive Officer, Adam Stewart, kicked off the sports outreach programme with a special ceremony at the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre in Montego with 14 football leagues and 26 communities receiving 215 footballs valued at approximately $258,000.

Noting that sports plays an integral role in community development, Stewart said the outreach project is part of the SRI's sporting initiative, which seeks to foster positive reinforcement such as teamwork and discipline through sports.

South coast

"The Flankers initiative is the first of a series of presentations. We are going to be doing them into the beginning of the New Year," he said, adding that the programme would stretch as far as the south coast.

"We gave out 215 balls (today). We have 2000 to give out now and we have an additional 1000 on order so our commitment is unparalleled ... hopefully out of this initiative some of our competitors and some of our other hoteliers in the island will react and do similar things to give back to the community," he continued.

An example

Once seen as one of the most volatile inner-city neighbourhoods in Montego Bay, Flankers is one example of how sporting activities have changed a community's outlook.

"Sports is one of the areas that pull people together and it allows youngsters in the community to identify as a unit," said Allan Bernard, project coordinator of the Flanker Peace and Justice Centre, and chairman of the Fogo United Board.

"This donation will go a far way in consolidating numerous football initiatives that are taking place within the Flankers community, particularly the efforts of the premier community football team Fogo United."

The project will utilise service clubs such as Montego Bay Rotary East to locate and assist organisations in need.