Merron Gordon has pointed to consistency at Garvey Maceo for their success this season in schoolboy football. They won the ISSA DaCosta Cup for only the second time in the school’s history when they easily brushed aside an overmatched Manning’s School 5-0 last weekend.

Garvey Maceo did not start as a firm favourite for the DaCosta Cup, but led by the competitions leading scorer, Gregory Cousins, they emerged rural area champions after a tough season.

“Winning shows the consistency of a good programme. I came to Garvey Maceo in 2018. We stumbled in 2018 and in 2019 we went to a final; [now] in 2021-2022 we are DaCosta Cup champions,” said a delighted Gordon after winning the title for the first time as a coach.

The core of the team have been playing together for a few seasons now, winning titles along the way to becoming U-19 rural area champions.

“These boys are winners, they are a good bunch of boys. We won the U-14 and U-16 with them in 2018, so with the continuous build on the programme and a few additions to the team, we are now champions.”

Gordon, who won the Ben Francis Cup with Lennon High in 2016, says that his coaching staff are to be credited with the success of the team, as well as the past students who were of tremendous support during the season.

“I want to pause to say that I really appreciate my coaching staff. Two weeks ago, I had COVID and I couldn’t go to two games. My coaching staff stood up and won what I thought was the toughest game for us for the season, which was the Clarendon College game. It showed that teamwork really makes the dream work,” he declared.

Gordon has described Garvey Maceo as a family, which he believes has been crucial to their success.

“It’s a very, very good feeling, so I just want to say thanks to the past students and thanks also to those teachers who always toil with the boys. Even on New Year’s Day they brought dinner for the boys. It is really a big family at Garvey Maceo.”

Gordon is also an assistant coach for the Reggae Boyz and is away on international duty this weekend, so he will be relying on his coaching staff to end the season on an even better note when they take on Manning Cup champions Kingston College in the Olivier Shield match at the STETHS Sports Complex today starting at 3:00 pm.

— Dwayne Richards