ST Patrick’s Primary was one of four schools that ended Saturday’s opening day of the Youth Football League Junior Cup competition at Constant Spring Football Field with a perfect record, and as the all-island under-11 tournament heads to Montego Bay this weekend the team’s coach is hailing the integration and opportunities being created for holistic development.

Hillel Academy, Rousseau Primary, and Emmanuel Christian Academy also ended the match day with perfect records, each chalking up four wins from as many games, but it was St Patrick’s that turned most heads with a league-high 22 goals while conceding just one in their assignments.

Walters-Marsh, a teacher at the Bay Farm Road-based institution with over two decades of experience in the classroom, is seeing first-hand just how instrumental the experience is proving for her boys and believes that beyond their successes on the field, the competition is creating opportunities and helping to shape more rounded individuals.

“We haven’t seen any form of football competition for a while so it was very good and my boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves,” said Walters-Marsh, a graduate from G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sport and the school’s resident netball and football coach.

“Our preparation was a bit shaky; we didn’t get much training in because of the weather and this is basically a new team because of the age group. In the primary schools’ league we have 12-year-olds so most of these boys, they’re on our junior team. But, they went out there and they did very well and they are super proud of themselves,” she added.

St Patrick’s hammered St John the Baptist Prep 9-1, got by Morant Bay Primary 4-0, and defeated Spanish Town Primary 1-0 before stopping Castleton Primary 8-0 in their impressive start to the competition.

Walters-Marsh, who said she got a chance to see most of the 25 teams that participated in the Kingston leg of the competition on Saturday, likes her team’s chances of making it all the way to the regional final and into the national showdown against the top rural team at the end of the month.

“I do think that we have a chance of coming out of our zone and making it to the next round, and then we will see where it goes from there.”

More importantly, she is happy for the exposure and life lessons that her boys are being taught and is calling for more integrated competitions between primary and preparatory schools.

“Quite frankly, I think that all the children should be able to interact with each other at this level because when they go to high school and they have to be together, it will help them — because Campion College is not just for prep [children from prep schools], it is primary and prep. All the high schools are filled with children from both the primary and prep schools,” said Walters-Marsh.

“They are going to be in the same classes together so don’t create a little world for them … you are going to go out there and you are going to meet different people — a rougher boy, a tougher boy, a brighter boy, a more-focused boy — and you have to learn that whatever situation or circumstance you’re in, to put your best foot forward,” she reasoned.

Hillel Academy also made a splash at the tournament, beating St Hugh’s Prep (4-1), Glowell Prep (3-1), Duhaney Park Primary (3-0) and Hope Valley Experimental Primary (2-0).

Rousseau Primary got their four wins over Spanish Town Primary (2-1), St John the Baptist Prep (8-0), Castleton Primary (6-0), and Morant Bay Primary (1-0). They will meet St Patrick’s for group honours on the next match day.

The other perfect team in the competition so far, Emmanuel Christian Academy, defeated Windward Road Primary (2-0), Pembroke Hall Primary (1-0), McAuley Primary (2-1) and Tarrant Primary (3-0).

The competition will continue for the Kingston region on October 15 at the same venue with the final set of group games as well as the knockout rounds and final.

The national final between the respective winners of the urban and rural area competitions as well as the third-place matches will take place on October 29.

Action in the rural area competition will take place on October 8 and 22 at Cornwall College.

— Andre Lowe