TAKING its scholarship programme for student-athletes to new heights, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, yesterday unveiled its 30 recipients which represent a mixture of youth and experience from netball, table tennis, cricket, football and track and field.

Netball captain Nadine Bryan; former West Indies Test player Wavell Hinds; World University Games silver medallist Peter Matthews; top female table tennis player Yvonne Foster, and former Under-17 goalkeeper Leighton Donaldson headlined the beneficiaries of the sports scholarships announced at a media brunch at the Mona Visitor’s Lodge, UWI.

Principal and pro vice-chancellor, Professor Gordon Shirley, through a video presentation, declared that the “revolution has already begun and results shown”.

He argued that with Mona having the “best piece of sports real estate” and Jamaica the “richest tool of athletic talent in the world” there would be targeted areas for championships and country.

The principal noted that the scholarship programme comprised tuition waivers, housing, nutrition, access to a sports psychology, student advisory services, and the rescheduling of exams.

Other recipients from netball were Kera Christie, Gillene Graham, Shadian Hemmings, Shann Lambert, Samantha Francis, Conique Moore; and from table tennis Tracey-Ann Dattadeen, who joins Foster as the only two to benefit from this sport.

UWI, Mona’s director of sports Dalton Myers, the driving force behind the scholarship programme which was restructured in 2008, noted that players such as Bryan and Foster were added to the programme as circumstances of opportunity as the university did not want them to go anywhere else.

In addition to Hinds were 2010/2011 Headley Cup Most Valuable Player Paul Palmer, Desmond Jones, Sheldon Samuels and Sanjay Foster.

Apart from Donaldson, UWI boosted its football team with scholarships for Andre Messam, Richard Crooks, Rochane Smith, Mark McKoy, Rashane Garcia and Theo Campbell as the Neville Bell-coached unit aspires for a place in the National Premier League.

In track and field, scholarships were also awarded to national cross country champion Demarley Johnson, Kavean Smith, Jerome Delorne, Ackeem Robertson, Leon Wray, Nicholas Maitland and Janelle Foster.

Meanwhile, Myers emphasised the important role of the sports psychologist and described the sponsors to the programme as partners.

He insisted that beneficiaries had to maintain a GPA of 2.0 above and training and competing 80 per cent of the time.

Also speaking was campus registrar Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson, a strong supporter of the teams.