Simon Jackson was named the Sportsman of the Year at this year's annual sports awards ceremony at the University of the West Indies, Mona last Saturday.

Along with the title of Sportsman of the Year, cricketer Jackson also collected the prize for the Most Outstanding Cricketer and Most Outstanding Performance of the Year in recognition of his captaining the UWI Mona team to victory in the Intercollegiate Cricket Competitions (Division I and All-Island).

Mellesha Thomas received the coveted title of Sportswoman of the Year. She was also awarded the Most Outstanding Performance in Track and Field.

Oberon Pitterson was the sole awardee to take home more than one individual award as she claimed the basketball and netball prizes.

Defending champions Waterford CC registered their third win in as many matches in the Petcom Portmore Metropolitan Cricket League with a 15-run triumph over Cumberland at the Waterford High School last Sunday.

Waterford batted first and made a challenging 205 for seven off 30 overs.

Junior player Romane Senior top scored with 39 and Adrian Morris chipped in with 27 not out. Bowling for Cumberland, Jermaine Gordon took 3-33 and Zidue Hunter 1-20. Cumberland came close in reply but fell short as they were bowled out for 190. Shane Ricketts, 68, and Kemar Davis 24, made the most runs for the losers. Andre Morris had match figures of 6-49, while Courtney Elliot supported with 2-14.

At Bridgeport Sports Ground, Ken's Wildflower whipped Reid's Pen by 110 runs. Scores: Ken's Wildflower 199 all out (Dean Morgan 78, Denworth Barber 49, Horace Clarke 3-28, Ryan Bennett 3-27); Reid's Pen 89 all out (Robert Herron 34, Maurice Clarke 13, Donald Breadwood 3-13, Junior Stewart 4-4).

At Portsmouth, Portsmouth CC beat Washington CC by nine wickets. Scores: Washington CC 96 all out (Gavaskar Brown 31, Omar Smythe 17, Colin Buchanan 6-14, Joseph Campbell 2-20); Portsmouth 100-1 (Odane Hartley 45 not out, Victor Williams 30 not out).

At Hamilton Gardens (match reduced to 25 overs), Hamilton Gardens defeated Mega-Mart developmental squad by 53 runs. Scores: Hamilton Gardens 134-9 (Michael Donegal 34, Kelvin Hinds, 24, Delbert Gayle 3-16, Michael Francis 2-30); Mega-Mart Developmental 81 all out (Gayle 35, Kemar Brown 15, Shevar Kennedy 2-12, Donegal 2-13).

Bridgeport United 'A' are set to conquer Greater Portmore-based Invaders 'A' as the Portmore Netball Association's Senior League continues at Ascot High School tomorrow. Game time is 2:00 p.m.

Bridgeport United 'A' have been coming on strong lately, playing to a 30-30 tie with Hellshire United and beating Thompson Pen 32-20 last week. Invaders 'A' seem to lack the quality to stay with their opponents and will have to lift their game to another level to make the contest close.

In other matches tomorrow it's Hellshire vs Bridgeport Utd B (Senior League) and Pines vs Mega Angels (Junior League).

Last Sunday, Westchester won two matches on the trot. They first disposed of Bridgeport United 'B' 46-15 and came back two hours later to snatch a 29-28 win over a shell-shocked Ken's Wildflower.

In another Senior League encounter, Bridgeport United 'A' beat Thompson Pen 32-20, while, Bridgeport High School nipped PGS 31-30 in Junior League play.

As part of its ongoing commitment to improve the quality of life for our young people and its mandate to enhance the education process, MultiCare 'Train The Trainer' Sports Clinics resume for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Hosted in preparation for the upcoming MultiCare Inter-Schools volleyball competition and the MultiCare Inter-Schools netball competition in November, the MultiCare 'Train The Trainer' netball clinic will be held on October 24, while the MultiCare 'Train The Trainer' volleyball clinic will be on October 30.

The objective of the clinics is to update the Physical Education teachers of the 31 MultiCare-assisted schools on the rules and regulations of the upcoming competitions and to improve their sporting skills.

Coaching is focused on both theory and practical aspects of each sport. The clinics are the first two of three 'Train The Trainer' clinics and will be held at the MultiCare's sports complex, the Breezy Castle Centre in downtown Kingston.

The Guardian Life Junior Tennis Championship came to an end last Saturday at the Liguanea Club.

In the boys' Under-18 section, McKoy Malcolm defeated Matthew Rodrigues 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

In the boys' Under-16 event, Jahvair Mullings defeated Josh Lue Yen 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.

The boys' Under-14s saw Jordan Harris outplay Sheldon McIntosh 6-1, 6-2, while Duncan Reid defeated Daniel Harris 8-6 in the Under-12s and Andrew Bicknell downed Simon Oh On 8-7 in the Under-10s.

The sole girls' event saw Siquena Sinclair outlast Monique Hanson 7-5, 6-3.

Contributed
Claudius Thompson (left), captain of the victorious Port Maria Cricket Club, accepts the Beaches Boscobel/ David Crawford Trophy from Ian Spencer (centre), Sandals regional public relations manager, and Dr. David Crawford at the recent awards ceremony held at Beaches Boscobel.

FIRST VICE president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dave Cameron, urged local cricketers to lift their standards in order to cash in on the upcoming semi-professional Jamaica Cricket League (JCL).

Speaking at last Saturday night's 2006 awards ceremony of the Beaches Boscobel-sponsored St. Mary cricket competition, Cameron said the semi-professional league would begin in Jamaica next year and was designed to lift the standard of cricket in the West Indies.

Cameron said, however, that the success of the competition would depend on the professionalism of the Jamaican cricketers.

"There is need for more professionalism in West Indies cricket," the keynote speaker said. "And this can only come about through the right attitude, commitment and hard work of the players."

Cameron said the formation of the league would ensure that more regional cricketers would be able to earn a living from cricket as currently only the West Indies team players were paid by the board.

Citing the need for better venues and pitches, he also urged the St. Mary Cricket Association to improve the infrastructure in the parish in order for the sport to grow.

Port Maria CC were the toast of the evening, walking away with the Beaches Boscobel/David Crawford Trophy for being champions of 2007. Annotto Bay were second.

Donovan Bartley took the batting title for a top score of 135 during the season.