NORANDA Jamaica Bauxite Partners has announced a major summer sports programme, which will include a training and development Mini League Camp for 300 children and netball and football competitions among some 350 players from 29 communities, in the company’s operating areas of St Ann.

The programme was launched by Noranda’s General Manager Antoine Liddell earlier this month at the start of the Mini League camp at the Port Rhoades Sports Club (formerly Kaiser Sports Club) in Discovery Bay. A similar camp will be conducted simultaneously at the St D’Acre Community Centre in the company’s mining area.

Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) coaches Robert Haynes, Lloyd ‘Respic’ Morgan, Godfrey Lothian, Paul Salmon, and Maureen Chin were present at the opening and conducted a two-day coaching session for the youth teams’ managers and trainers.

Liddell said the camp will run until July 30, during which time the youngsters will be supervised by 24 adult volunteers acting as coaches and coordinators of the 12 cricket and 12 netball teams. The players, he said, will be provided with meals, uniforms and proper gears.

He described the Mini League as “a character development programme that uses sportsmanship, role model examples, and discipline as values and guidelines for raising our children”.

“They are taught to respect each other, respect their role model leaders, respect the rules of the game, and to respect the country’s national symbols,” said Liddell”.

The general manager was supported by Haynes, who emphasised the importance of discipline as a part of INSPORTS and Jamaica Cricket Association’s coaching curriculum.

Liddell also reported that the community netball competition, which was launched on June 28, is in progress, and the football competition will be launched in July.

Games are being played at the Port Rhoades Sports Club which the general manager said remains the centre of sports for the region and which will host the Social Development Commission’s National Youth 20/20 cricket final on August 23.