St George’s College’s Brian Burkett is a bonafide star on and off the football field who stands out as a shining example of what Digicel seeks to celebrate in its inaugural Star Balla series.

Digicel is spearheading the initiative to showcase the outstanding achievements of some of the “Star Ballas” – outstanding high school football players emerging from the 2023 ISSA Digicel Manning Cup and Walker Cup Football season.

These exceptional student-athletes, identified by their coaches, strike a commendable balance between excelling in sports and maintaining high academic standards. The Digicel Star Balla series aims to recognise athletes from the top teams for their exceptional abilities.

The 18-year-old Burkett boasts 13 subjects, contributed 20 goals to his school’s success, leading his team to the semi-finals of the Manning Cup – an achievement that Digicel’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tari Lovell, describes as remarkable.

Lovell explained, “Brian is a phenomenal student-athlete and a true inspiration to his peers. It’s not always easy to balance the books while staying ahead of the game. This is why we salute Brian for his dedication and discipline.”

Burkett already holds nine CSEC passes in Mathematics, Principles of Accounts, English A, English B, Biology, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Information Technology and Physical Education. Additionally, he achieved four CAPE subjects in Spanish, Communication Studies, Physical Education, and Information Technology.

For Brian, it’s all about priorities: “I balance schoolwork and football with time management and being disciplined. My parents encourage me to be disciplined, hard-working, and responsible.” He hopes to pass on his winning approach to his peers: “Through Christ all things are possible. I think we have a good team with a lot of quality, but we just have to remain focused and humble and take it one game at a time,” Brian noted.

Despite finding time to play for Dunbeholden FC in last season’s Jamaica Premier League, where he scored one goal, Burkett remains steadfast in his ambition to play football at the highest level in the future. “Have a plan. Set small objectives that will help you to improve yourself and help you achieve your main goal or dream. Above all, be disciplined and focused,” advised Burkett.