St Elizabeth had to wait close to 50 years to see a team from the parish play in the nation’s top flight.

However, Treasure Beach FC achieved their dream and their partnership with one of the parish’s premier institutions is playing a major role in their journey.

The debutants are set to play their first home game of the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League today against Lime Hall. Instead of the club’s venue at the BREDS Treasure Beach Sports Park, it will be held at the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Complex.

According to STETHS Principal Keith Wellington, the school is more than just a stadium for the top-flight newcomers.

“Treasure Beach wanted to bolster their team to see if they could make the Premier League and, therefore, both Jason and myself decided that this is something we can do together and we both can benefit,” he said.

“We’ve been working together for over a year with Coach [Omar] Wedderburn, all the senior members from our schoolboy team, the captain being a former captain of our school team so it’s a very good relationship. The fact that we’ve been able to assist in getting them into the Premier League is really pleasing to us. And it’s a pleasure to be hosting them, it’s not lost on us the significance that STETHS plays in the community and therefore to bring another achievement to Santa Cruz, we’re really proud of it.”

Chairman of Treasure Beach FC, Jason Henzell, also hailed the impact Wellington and Wedderburn has had so far.

“[Our] story is one of merging a community development story of Treasure Beach itself with a sporting excellence that Mr Wellington and Rambo [Omar Wedderburn] have created at STETHS over the last 15-20 years so it’s really two stories coming together,” said Henzell.

“I definitely pay a huge tribute to our partnership with Mr Wellington, Rambo and all of the STETHS students because five of their players are on our team, so, of course, when the Dacosta Cup ends, they can start playing in January.”

BREDS Treasure Beach Sports Park was their home ground for the Tier 2 Campaign in getting to the JPL but Henzell believes there will be greater benefits playing at STETHS.

“STETHS is in the centre of Santa Cruz on a main road. They have a great sporting culture, particularly football, so guess what? We’re going to get bigger ticket sales, more patrons, they have a better stadium set up. It might seem like a disappointment at first but it’s a blessing in disguise. Our first preseason game against MBU [Montego Bay United], we had close 800 people that paid to come in and it was raining that day. So we believe we’re going to have tremendous crowd support in Santa Cruz and at STETHS.”

Wellington says one of his objectives in hosting games at STETHS is to get more television coverage.

“We have an interest in continuing to develop the facility because we’ve been doing that for the last 15 years or so. We’ve taken a keen interest in ensuring that we upgrade as we go along. So we’d have put in lighting a few years ago and continue to improve it because we can get Monday night football in Santa Cruz. STETHS has an interest in ensuring that facilities is top class, so we’re going to do whatever we can do to make sure it happens.”

After losing their opening match to Humble Lion, Treasure Beach were beaten 3-1 by Portmore United last Sunday. However, Coach Wedderburn is optimistic they can get a positive result today as they play on a ground familiar to him.

“I think everybody, after this second half [against Portmore], we think we have the confidence in the league now to compete much better. It’s going to feel like home. The transition to STETHS is very good because it’s in the parish and the players like the pitch. Mentally, from you like something, the physical part comes easier.”

STETHS has hosted Premier League games in the past, most recently with FC Reno and Sandals South Coast, both of Westmoreland.

Treasure Beach’s match against Lime Hall today kicks off at 3:00 pm.