Members of Lanaman's team celebrate their 1-0 victory over Vaz in the final of the Bigga/Alberga Cup Prep School Football Competition at Mona Bowl on Tuesday.

Former national player Wolde Harris believes prep school football deserves more attention, even if it means sending the best referees to officiate the games.

Harris, who last played for Jamaica in 2002 against Guadeloupe, ending at 25 caps, said one of the changes he would want to see in prep school football was refereeing.

"The best referees need to come down to this level in order to help teach our kids, so that they learn the game from early, the rules, how to play the game and so on," he added.

He also called on the media and general public to play their role in helping to build the right foundation.

Help us teach the kids

"Prep school football is exciting, but I think it needs a little more attention both from the media and people in general," he said.

"This is the area you need to get into, help us teach the kids to understand the right things, the right way to play football. All emphasis should be down here at this level because here is where you make changes as far as technique is concerned so kids will grow with that technique all the way up to ages 16-18 into the national team," explained Harris, who represented US Major League Soccer teams Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution.

Harris, who scored seven goals for Jamaica and 50 for his MLS clubs, said setting the stage right from the beginning could have positive spin-offs for the country.

"In this country you can see that we are sports people and whenever sports is at its highest crime is at its lowest, so, therefore, we would love for more and more people to have their kids get involved in sports," he urged. "Parents get involved in and help us create a good foundation for the benefit of the entire country."

Harris, who on Monday launched Jamaica Grassroots Company to help the development of young football talent, was speaking after his team, Vaz, lost 0-1 to Lannaman's in the Bigga-sponsored Prep school football final for the Alberga Cup, at Mona Bowl on Tuesday.

He said this year's competition, which saw Lannaman's also taking the KO title, was good.

No incidents this year

"Overall, I think it was a really good show from all the teams in the competition. (There were) no incidents this year, which means you can say the coaches are in solidarity as far as helping the kids," he said.

With regard to his team, which was losing only their second match of the season, Harris said: "The most important thing for me is to tell the kids I'm proud of them.

"They did well; they trained hard they came out and fought hard ... and if they follow these steps I think they will be all right when stepping up to the next level."