EVEN though the numbers were not readily available, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), reports that Sunday’s crowd at National Stadium was the largest to date for a Reggae Girlz match in Jamaica.

The crowd included over five hundred schoolgirl footballers and their coaches, who travelled from all over the island courtesy of WATA, to attend and support the Reggae Girlz in their farewell match against Panama before heading off to their maiden participation in Fifa Women’s World Cup in France.

In the match, which the Girlz won 3-1, the enthusiastic and adoring fans, including the schoolgirl footballers, cheered them on while celebrating each goal.

The schoolgirl footballers and their coaches came from 23 high schools across the island that compete in the ISSA Schoolgirl Football Competition.

Before the match began, the schoolgirl footballers were treated to a ‘WATA Girlz Football Showcase’ which featured a nutrition talk by Kamila McDonald who stressed the importance of hydration, good overall nutrition, adequate sleep, a winning attitude, and how all those elements will lend themselves to good performances on the field.

The interactive session included a display of football skills and a test of the knowledge of the schoolgirl footballers of the Reggae Girlz exploits on the way to qualifying for the World Cup, among other activities.

The Corporate Area is well known for its love and support of football, with several Corporate Area-based schools attending the match courtesy of WATA. They include this year’s champion Excelsior High, runners-up Denham Town, Wolmer’s Girls, Meadowbrook, Clan Carthy, Merl Grove, Pembroke Hall, St Andrew Technical, Edith Dalton James, Penwood and Campion.

The other schools came from parishes across the island from as far as Frome Technical in Westmoreland, Spot Valley in St James, St Elizabeth Technical, Holmwood, Christiana and Mile Gully out of Manchester. St Catherine was well represented with Jonathan Grant, Old Harbour, Spanish Town High, St Mary Technical, Kemps Hill and Garvey Maceo.

Wisynco’s senior marketing and public relations manager, Tamara Ward, said: “The WATA Football Showcase is all about girl power. We are celebrating the achievements of our Reggae Girlz, and the dedication of our ISSA schoolgirls football teams to sports. We are thrilled to have made this experience possible for the teams.”

WATA is the hydration sponsor of the JFF’s senior men, women, and grass roots programmes.