MONTEGO BAY, St James — Dean Weatherly who led Cornwall College to eight schoolboy football titles in 16 years will return to the Orange Street- based school as head coach of the daCosta Cup team when the season starts in September.

Weatherly, currently the head coach of Red Stripe Premier League club Montego Bay United, was confirmed in the position last week during a meeting of the school's board and Sports Development Committee, as well as head master Denham McIntyre.

The former Cornwall College coach will replace Hopeton Gilchrist who led the team over the last two seasons.

In an interview with the Observer West earlier this week, Weatherly who was fired after the 2008 season, said he was "excited" about the return to his alma mater as "the mission was not complete, I still have work to do."

Weatherly will be assisted by Leacroft Lettman who led the Under 16 team to four titles last season — the St James Football Association's Sandals Under 17 title in August, followed by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) treble- Galloway Cup, Clement Ratcliff All-rural and all-island titles.

Roy Ten-Fah, chairman of the Sports Development Committee said that given Weatherly's record and "strong interest shown" it was an easy decision.

"Having looked at the situation in its entirety and based on his outstanding record at this level and his interest in returning to the school, we made the decision," Ten-Fah said.

Weatherly who took over the Cornwall College team at the start of the 1992 season, took the team to five daCosta cup finals, winning three — 1995, 2000 and 2001; the Olivier Shield in 2001 and four of the school's record seven Ben Francis KO titles in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2003.

A dentist by profession, Weatherly who took over the reigns at MBU after Neider Dos Santos threw in the towel after five games, said he would complete the season at the Premier League side, but would not return next year.

"I really have to give a lot of thanks to Orville Powell, the executive, team and family at MBU for the faith they showed in me and the opportunity they gave me to grow and develop as a football coach," he said.

Describing football as his "first love" Weatherly said his move straight from the Premier League back to schoolboy football was not without careful consideration.

"There are no half steps in football, you are either in or out; you can't afford to take too many breaks away from the game as it is dynamic and always moving and you have to keep up," he explained.

And while he was doing coaching duties at Cornwall College, Weatherly said has kept abreast with the happenings at the school.

"I have watched them play and I know we have a lot of talent there and the next step for me is to see how best I can help facilitate the transition form the schoolboy level to adult football as that is one of the biggest problems we are having in the game," he stressed.