HAYES, Clarendon — The Clarendon leg of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS)/Sports Development Foundation (SDF) Little League Football competition got underway at the Jamalco Sports Club on Thursday with Paisley Basic routing Faith Basic 5-2 in the opening game.

The competition, which was launched last Friday at the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sports, was introduced by INSPORTS as they seek to promote sports as a way of life in Jamaica.

The first year of the competition, which is being staged in collaboration with SDF and Bouygues Construction, will be a pilot project with some 38 basic schools — 18 from Clarendon and 20 from St Catherine.

The competition is being financed by SDF, while Bouygues Construction will be donating the mini goals.

Warren Simpson, who conducted a workshop for the coaches in Clarendon last week Thursday at the Effortville Community Centre, said the aim of the programme is to teach toddlers the fundamentals of the game.

“Rules will be applied, but the main thing at this point is to teach them direction, how to move left, to move right and how to kick the ball,” he said adding. “They will be playing as a team trying to move the ball in the same direction, not just passing the ball to somebody,” added Simpson.

He further noted that the FIFA age-group rule will be followed, which will see them using an outfield of 30×20 yards with 3’x4′ goals and a size three ball.

Games will last for 20 minutes with each team fielding five players (males and females permissible) and are allowed unlimited substitutions. A kick-in will be used instead of a throw-in when the ball goes out of play.

In the Clarendon leg, teams will be divided in three zones of six after which the top two finishers and the two best third place will advance to the quarter-final knockout round, from where only the winners will move on.

The two parish champions will then meet in a two-way champion of champions tie.