Frankfield, Clarendon was blue and white on Monday morning as Edwin Allen High School students, staff and community members celebrated the school’s 11th ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls’ Athletics Championships title.

Fresh off their victory on Saturday, the team returned to a rousing reception on campus, where vuvuzelas blared and the schoolyard came alive with music and dancing. The festivities transitioned into devotion as the champions arrived with the trophy.

Head Coach Michael Dyke, who has now guided the programme to 11 titles since taking over in 2012, says this victory carried a different weight.

“To be very honest, yes, because of the challenges that we would’ve had leading up to this one, it kind of set us in a light where we thought this would not have been possible at all. But thanks be to God — he allows it to happen,” Dyke told the Jamaica Observer.

Despite a season with setbacks from the start, Dyke says the team never abandoned its ambition of reclaiming the title, and that they remained optimistic and prepared should the opportunity for victory present itself.

The celebrations also recognised the growth of the school’s boys’ programme. While Edwin Allen’s dominance has been through its girls’ programme, the boys’ team, celebrating a seventh-place finish at Boys’ Champs, was included in Monday’s proceedings. The programme continues to develop, now producing medallists and contributing to Jamaica’s men’s sprinting resurgence, including alumnus Bryan Levell, who introduced himself to the world not only as one of Jamaica’s fastest sprinters today, but also as a World Championship 200m bronze medallist.

Principal Jermaine Harris spoke on the difficulty of sustaining success across both programmes, especially in a challenging year.

“We want to dedicate this victory to all supporters,” he said. “It is not easy, as a co-ed school, to have two programmes but I commit to you that, under my leadership, Edwin Allen will continue to grow from strength to strength. So, with your support, with our passion and with our determination we will continue to be champions.”

This season’s triumph was not without major adversity.

The school community was forced to mourn the loss of student-athlete Taneisha Gayle, a middle-distance runner who died last September after falling ill during training. Her passing prompted Harris to suspend training until all athletes were screened and medically cleared, which he said set the programme back six weeks.

The late Kirkland Douglas, a hurdles coach who served the institution for over two decades, was also honoured during the ceremony. Compounding the difficulties, the effects of Hurricane Melissa in late October disrupted operations, with Monday’s celebration itself taking place on a building still bearing signs of damage.

Team captain Briana Morris credited faith and unity for the team’s success.

“First and foremost, we give thanks to God for the strength, health and determination that brought us to this victory,” she said. “This win belongs to all of us. We are grateful for this achievement and promise to continue striving for even greater success.”

The day’s formalities continued with a motorcade through Frankfield, ending in a street celebration at Frankfield Square. There, the wider community joined in, turning the town into a sea of blue and white as the school shared its victory with the residents and business community, which it said was also largely responsible for the success.