FOLLOWING a week-long recruiting trip to Jamaica in November, head football coach at Howard University in Washington DC Phillip Gyau, is pleased to announce the selection of three Jamaican high school students who are being offered scholarships to the prestigious college.

Amoy Brown from St George’s College, Joel Cunningham and Rojeau Tomlin of Wolmer’s Boys School are the players selected after a series of evaluations and discussions with coaches, teachers and parents.

The contingencies accompanying the scholarship offer includes satisfying the admission criteria to Howard University, registration with, and being cleared to play by the NCAA Clearing House, meeting the University’s graduation criteria (by taking 15 credits per semester) and maintaining passing grades in all subjects while representing the school at football.

Gyau said these contingencies should be easily met by the boys based on their level of competence revealed during the evaluation process.

“I was very impressed with the young men I came across while visiting schools in Jamaica. There were some great athletes in the sport of soccer. What impressed me the most, however, was the well-rounded balance of academics and sports of these individuals,” said Gyau, himself a Howard alumnus and former USA international.

“At Howard University, we need students who excel in the classroom and maintain the high standards of their predecessors,” the coach added.

The football programme at Howard University falls under the direct purview of Gyau and he believes that the addition of these young Jamaicans will have a positive effect on the direction of the programme.

“I am looking forward to bringing these young men on board to become part of the university’s family and the rising soccer programme at Howard. When we won the NCAA championship 1974, we did it with a team made up of players from Jamaica, Trinidad and Africa. With these players, we are going back to our roots to rebuild the soccer programme,” said Gyau.

Joel Cunningham, Wolmer’s Manning Cup Team Captain, who earned four CSEC distinctions with four grade twos and another four distinctions at CAPE, is elated with the scholarship opportunity.

“I feel very good and I will definitely take up the offer. I wanted to study overseas from last year, but I only got a half scholarship. I want to thank Howard University and coach Gyau for choosing me,” he said.

Cunningham was previously offered a half scholarship to Coldwell College, but opted to wait for a better deal.

Cunningham had some advice for student athletes. “Sports can only take you a certain way in life, ensure that you do your school work or you are bound to fail. Sports alone cannot do it all for you,” he said.

Jamaicans, who excelled academically and laced up their boots for the institution in the past, include Dr Dean Weatherly, JFF Executive Howard McIntosh, Attorney-at-Law Bancroft Gordon and Engineer/Patent Holder, Chris Thomas.

Howard University’s football team competes in NCAA Division One, last winning the title in 1974, with a team that featured seven Jamaicans. On their way to the Championship, that team did not drop a point, ending with a perfect 19-0 record. The university is known for producing outstanding graduates and since 1998, the school has produced two Rhodes and 22 Fulbright scholars.

Notable alumni include former US Supreme Court judge, Thurgood Marshall; late Guyanese Prime Minister Cheddi Jagan; current Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell; Atlanta Mayor, Kasim Reed; Nobel Prize Winner and Author, Toni Morrison; Actresses Debbi Allen and Phylicia Rashad; former Westham and Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop; former Jamaican Ministers of Government John Junor and KD Knight; SportsMax CEO, Oliver McIntosh; Portmore Health Care co-founder, Dr Karen Osbourne; Attorneys-at-Law Jacqueline and Keith Asher and former Jamaica Observer Columnist, Dr Grace Virtue.

— Kesi Asher