DIGICEL yesterday officially launched the final leg of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics 2012 at a press conference featuring head coach and England and Liverpool football legend John Barnes at Barbican's Beach Football Field in Kingston.

Thirty of Jamaica's young aspiring footballers were selected by the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) to participate in the two-day clinic which will give the boys first-hand practical experience, along with technical guidance from the coaches present.

Barnes said he was looking forward to being here and wrapping up the clinics.

"After three weeks travelling across the Caribbean and Central America, I was really looking forward to coming home.

"I was brought up here and moved to England when I was 13. Back then, opportunities didn't present themselves as they do nowadays. I was fortunate enough to have been spotted playing in a park, but you guys have opportunities all the time and the Digicel Kick Start Clinics is one of them," he said.

Meanwhile, veteran coach Vin Blaine, said: "I would like to commend Digicel for once again hosting the Digicel Kick Start Clinics. It is great to have them back at the helm.

"This is an extension of the Digicel Jamaica grassroots programme which runs right across the island and which has been a great success. To all the boys here today, I wish you all the best over the next two days."

Following the two-day event, Barnes will select the top three players who will each win a place in the Digicel Academy, a week-long elite training camp in Barbados under the leadership of top Chelsea FC coaches from the Chelsea FC Foundation.

Sponsorship manager at Digicel, Tahnida Nunes, said: "Digicel Kick Start Clinics is a great way to kick off the football fever in Jamaica with schoolboy football just around the corner. We're confident that these youngsters will learn a great deal from John and the coaching staff."