HAVING led McGrath High to their maiden Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Ben Francis Cup, Head Coach Jermaine Thomas is reaching out to corporate Jamaica and the school’s alumni, urging them to rally behind and support the institution.

Under Thomas’s astute guidance McGrath overcame adversity to secure a hard-fought, 1-0 victory over Frome Technical in the final at the National Stadium last Saturday. The ensuing jubilation served as a testament to the teamwork, discipline, and sheer determination that propelled McGrath to the momentous achievement.

In a heartfelt appeal Thomas, considered a mentor with a clear vision for success, noted the potential and talent within McGrath High School. He underscored the need for financial support and infrastructural development to nurture the budding football stars within the school.

The coach believes that with the right backing McGrath, based in Linstead, St Catherine, has the potential to become a powerhouse in Jamaican schoolboy football, achieving not only victories on the field but also fostering a sense of pride and unity within the community.

“I am now encouraging past students and corporate Jamaica to come on board and support the school because we need all the support that we can get so that we can build a much better programme going forward,” said Thomas.

“We are without a dormitory, and we need one so that we can house our footballers when we have camps. We also need food and equipment for the boys, and academic mentors for them to transition into society and become better citizens in the future,” he added.

Thomas highlighted that an impressive 90 per cent of the current squad would be retained for the next season, including 15-year-old Dontae Anderson who scored the winning goal against Frome on Saturday.

“We are going to be retaining a large percentage of the boys come next season so the plan is now to evaluate and look at the findings to see how we can improve our performances.

“For me, it is not just about winning but being successful over a period of time, because you might win this year and for the next 25 years you might not win a trophy. I want to see how we can get a balanced programme, focusing not only on the athletic side of the boys but also on their mental and academic development,” he explained.

Thomas said Saturday’s final victory was a massive achievement for his players as it was their first time competing at the National Stadium.

“None of my players would have ever played in the National Stadium before, and for most of them it was their first time coming into Kingston, and so this accomplishment means a lot to them.

“In years gone by we were one of the beating sticks of our zone but now things have changed in terms of us having a solid programme I have been here since 2017 and made it to the semi-finals of the daCosta Cup in 2019, finishing third in that year,” he said.

— Robert Bailey