THE 2014 Digicel Kickstart Academy came to an exciting close as Team Fabregas won the final match 2-1 against the Jamaica U-17 national team at Sabina Park yesterday.

The historic Sabina Park served as the ideal venue for the best young footballing talent in the region to showcase their skills as they played a series of matches that featured an all-star team of players from across 13 Caribbean and Central American countries competing against the Jamaica National U-17s. The teams seemed equally matched but, as the day progressed, it was evident that Team Fabregas was more determined, clinching the victory in the end.

David Monk and his team of coaches from the Chelsea FC Foundation were proud of their players. He said: “We want to thank the players and the coaches for their hard work. They have achieved a lot in a short space of time, and they exemplify what we are trying to do with regional football development. All the players who participated in the Digicel Kickstart Academy are winners, and we hope you will continue on your path to developing your skills and talents both on and off the pitch.”

Digicel Group Head of Sponsorship James Wynne was also impressed by the level of football that he saw during the matches. “It is encouraging to see the amazing progress of these young players over the course of the week, and it was indeed an exciting match-up as all the teams displayed great skill and determination. Through the Digicel Kickstart Academy, we are seeing the development of football across the region and our partnership with Chelsea is ensuring that the next generation of players are benefiting from the best training from one of the best football organisations in the world.”

At the closing ceremony, Digicel Jamaica CEO Barry O’Brien, commended all the players and encouraged them to continue training hard in order to achieve their goals.

“You are the best that the Caribbean and Central America has to offer, and from this tournament – and the Digicel Kickstart Academy – we see that the region is home to top-class footballers. For you, the sky is the limit; so work hard and you will achieve greatness.”

The Academy is a culmination of the Digicel Kickstart Clinics which gave more than 400 players a chance to train with coaches from the Chelsea FC Foundation. The coaches not only trained the best of each country’s male and female players, but also hosted a separate session where the country’s top youth coaches received the very latest coaching techniques as used by Chelsea FC’s youth teams.