EIGHTY-FIVE coaches from across Jamaica who completed the JMMB/JFF/UTech coaching courses this year were officially certified at a graduation ceremony at the JFF offices in New Kingston on Monday.

Twenty-seven coaches from the Advanced Level One-Cohort 12 course; 34 from the Advanced Level Two-Cohort five course and 28 from the Advanced Level Two-Cohort six course were presented with their certifications.

Brian Phillpotts-Brown, who topped the Advanced Level Two-Cohort five course, had the highest overall score of 92 per cent.

Glenston Hutchinson was the top student in the Advanced Level Two-Cohort six course with 88 per cent, while Anthony Boyd took the honours in the Advanced Level One-Cohort 12 course with 78 per cent.

The ceremony also saw familiar names such as Calvert Fitzgerald, Montique Long, Alex Thomas, Xavier Gilbert, David Laylor and Michael Williams receiving their certificates.

Four females — Janise Campbell-Lee, Alecia Green, Tamara Williams and Merleen Wilson — successfully gained their Advanced Level One certifications.

JFF boss, Captain Horace Burrell, pointed to the positive changes in the game locally and noted the coaching school had played a great part in advancing this change. He also urged those active in youth football development to instill discipline in the youngsters.

“We need you to help these youngsters to demonstrate the best levels of discipline, because without discipline, we are going nowhere,” he told the gathering.

Meanwhile, UTech’s Dean of the Faculty of Science and Sports, Dr Colin Gyles, noted that goalscoring remains a major deficiency in Jamaica’s football and he asked coaches to place special emphasis on this aspect of the game.

“One of the things that makes the game interesting is goals being scored… and spectators like to see goals being scored,” he said.

The JFF had four courses held throughout the year, the first Advanced Level One course was held from April 14 to May 20, while the second was held from July 2 to 13 in Montego Bay.

The Advanced Level Two-Cohort five course was held at UTech from August 13 to 22, while the Advanced Level Two-Cohort six course was carried out at GC Foster College from August 23 to September 1.

Those who took part in the Montego Bay course will be honoured at a later date.