FYI Consultancy and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s Pocket Rocket Foundation have joined forces in a partnership that manifested into the inaugural Champions Cup football tournament set for June 21, 2025.

Paula Pinnock, managing director of FYI — the organisers of the Youth Football League – made the announcement yesterday at a press conference at Funland, Hope Gardens, in St Andrew.

“This partnership with the Pocket Rocket Foundation is a major milestone for us,” she said. “It’s the perfect alignment of two organisations committed to youth excellence, both on the field and in the classroom.”

The Champions Cup will be contested between the top eight primary and prep schools in the island based on their respective competitions.

“The Champions Cup will no doubt be one of the most exciting youth tournaments Jamaica has seen and we are honoured to have the Foundation on board as we continue building a platform that supports and celebrates our young children,” Pinnock said.

The top four primary schools are champions Spanish Town Primary, McAuley Primary (St Catherine), Corinaldi Avenue Primary (St James), Balmagie Primary (Kingston), and McCauley Primary.

The four prep schools are from the Corporate Area — champions Sts Peter and Paul, Hillel Academy, Lannaman’s, and Mona Prep.

The MVP of the tournament will win a scholarship worth $100,000 a year for the duration of that footballer’s high school tenure which could rise to $700,000, providing the recipient meets the academic and behavioural standards required for renewal.

Sherie Peart, executive assistant at the Pocket Rocket Foundation, represented Fraser-Pryce.

“The business of sports is something very serious,” she said. “It needs to be taken very seriously because we do have the talent and to nurture that, we need to provide that access and training at a very early stage and we want to support that.

“We want to ensure the student-athletes remain very balanced. The Foundation wants to be realistic in our approach. We acknowledge that we have the talent but a lot of times talent alone is not good enough. Fraser-Pryce acknowledges having a solid education behind that talent and that’s where we come in to fill that gap.

“A very talented student-athlete can become injured and we want them to have something to fall back on, so that’s where education comes into play.”

The one-day Champions Cup will be played on June 21 and will feature a three-round format.

It’s a nine-a-side competition of 45 minutes matches which, the organisers said, would keep the tournament intense and action-packed.

Following the draw, the match-ups are Sts Peter and Paul Prep taking on Corinaldi Primary; Mona Prep versus McAuley Primary; Hillel Academy facing Spanish Town Primary, and Lannaman’s Prep playing Balmagie Primary.