After back-to-back winning seasons in the Walker Cup with St Catherine High, Anthony Patrick is eyeing more silverware in the upcoming schoolboy football season, but more importantly, is looking to the long term for extended success and more trophies.

After guiding St Catherine High to their first piece of silverware in 2019, Patrick had to wait until the 2021-2022 campaign to chase more glory following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus.

Thoughts of the Manning Cup occupied the brain of the coach last season, but after falling short of the main objective, repeating as Walker Cup champions became the focus.

“The boys fought hard last season to cop some silverware. We were looking to go further in the Manning Cup, but it wasn’t to be, but nevertheless we got some silverware at the end of the season.”

Last season he employed a youth strategy and Patrick plans to stick to his guns with a long-term plan of dominance in the next two to three years.

“We lost about three of four players from last season, but when you look at the depth of the team, we have a pretty young team. Four to five players were 14 years old last season. This season I am bringing in a next 10, 14 and 15-year-old players, to carry for a very long way,” he explained.

With some many of his players being very young and lacking in experience at the Under-19 level, Patrick is taking a practical approach to the season and what may or may not happen in terms of winning titles.

“That is in front of us, that is something we are eyeing, to cop a silverware or more, but if that doesn’t happen then 2024, 2025, we hope to cop some silverware there.

“It was our aim from last season, but it wasn’t to be, but we won back the Walker Cup and that was important, but 2024 and 2025 is what we are really eyeing,” he explained further.

The bonus of winning the Walker Cup for a second time earlier this year, is the impact that it has had on the alumni of St Catherine High, the school of Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

“They are coming around more and more and that is important. Hopefully we can bring in a whole lot more. Once we can do that everything will be okay going forward,” Patrick suggested, as he looks the landing even more trophies for the St John’s Road-based institution.

St Catherine High are drawn in Zone B of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup and will face Holy Trinity High in their first game of the season on Saturday, September 10 at the Spanish Town Prison Oval starting at 3:30 pm.

— Dwayne Richards