With a sixth-straight title and seventh in eight years now in the bag, Edwin Allen’s Principal Everton Walters has reiterated his call for a synthetic track to be laid at the school situated in Frankfield, in the hills of northern Clarendon.

CEO of GraceKennedy Group, Don Wehby last year said he would engage Minister of Sports Olivia Grange in discussion to assist in fulfilling their desire of establishing the synthetic track, but since nothing has been forthcoming, Walters once again made an impassioned plea.

Walters says he endeavours to continue building the school’s track and field programme and as such is also soliciting support from the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), the Ministry of Sports, past students, the business community, and friends of the school to bring their vision to fruition.

His call came as they celebrated the girls’ seven-point win over Hydel High at the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which ended Saturday.

“We are aware that Hydel is closing the gap and so we want to put the machinery in place, and one of the things that I think could assist us well is a synthetic running track. Hydel may be exposed to fields closest to them, like G C Foster and others, but we have no running track in the country parts and it would not be cost-effective for us to go elsewhere

“We have had a number of injuries and I blame it on the field, so if we never had the injuries the possibility exists that we would probably accumulate more points. So ,we are looking for a better surface,” Walters told the Jamaica Observer.

He continued: “The grass track has served us well but I think we need to improve on this. I think we earned the right to acquire this vital addition to our programme, and so I challenge the powers that be to assist the school and make this a reality.

“There is also need for stands for our spectators, as they need to be comfortably seated as they support the sports programme. It (Edwin Allen) is a brand, and if we develop this brand with the addition of a track to the school we should do very well-and I believe it can lift this very rural community.

Should the track be laid in the near future, Edwin Allen would become the fourth high school in the island, and first with a female programme, to achieve the feat as well as the first in rural Jamaica. They would follow the likes of all-boys schools Calabar, Kingston College and Jamaica College.

On a more ecstatic note, Walters led the student body and sponsors, along with enthusiastic community members, in paying homage to the team for a determined performance to hold off Hydel.

The “School, silent zone” signs are all around, but yesterday morning was an exception, as the piercing sounds of vuvuzela horns were heard from miles away.

“There was a vast difference in numbers in terms of finalists for Saturday, but the tenacity of will, the significance and the sense of purpose, they really exhibited all of those. Champions don’t give up easily and we showed that we had the mettle and what is required to take the championship.

“It was phenomenal, exhilarating, and I was so delighted that they had made us proud. The odds were against us and they asserted themselves, went out there, and did what was expected of them,” said Walters.

“This one is the sweetest because I think we toiled long and hard, and when I see the commitment from the coaching staff starting from early last year, they are deserving of it. They put in the work and we are here to celebrate with them,” he added.

Meanwhile, Head Coach Michael Dyke welcomed the call for a synthetic track.

“I know it will definitely erode significantly in the sort of injuries that we are having because we have been having a lot of rain, we have to compete with the football team, and do a lot of training on the hard surface. So getting a track will definitely and significantly improve our performance level,” Dyke noted.

— Sherdon Cowan