KINGSTON, Jamaica — Harbour View Football Club is celebrating an academic feat after five of its young players excelled in the classroom, with General Manager Clyde Jureidini challenging them to become role models for the next generation of footballers.

Dominic Thompson, Jaden Smith, Jelani Harvey, Tristan Riley and Emmanuel Donalds were singled out by Jureidini for their outstanding academic achievements, which he said demonstrated that success in football and education can go hand in hand.

Thompson of St George’s College achieved 10 CSEC subjects with nine distinctions; Smith of Wolmer’s Boys has nine subjects with seven distinctions; Campion College’s Harvey has nine subjects and six distinctions; Donalds of Jamaica College has eight subjects and six distinctions; and Riley of St George’s College has nine subjects and five distinctions.

Jureidini heaped praise on the youngsters for their “focus, hard work, diligence and discipline”, while making it clear that their accomplishments were largely the result of the support provided by their parents, teachers and school communities.

“We really want to credit them for their focus, for their hard work, for their diligence, for their discipline and even more so for their achievement,” Jureidini said.

“We know they didn’t do it without the strong guidance, assistance and support of their peer group at school, of course their parents and at home. The club did a little bit but could not in any way take credit for what they and, by extension, their parents and their teachers have put in.”

Jureidini believes the achievement could be a significant moment for the Harbour View programme, noting that it is a rare feat.

“We think it’s one of the few times, if not the first, that so many Harbour View youngsters have excelled at the same time,” he said.

The achievement is also a reflection of Harbour View’s long-term youth development programme, with most of the five players progressing through the club’s ranks from the Under-11 level.

“Many have done it over the years, and these have done it because the majority of them have been in Harbour View from Under-11 through Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-18,” Jureidini said.

Harvey’s progression has been particularly notable. After advancing through the Harbour View youth system, he moved into the Under-20 programme and senior Premier League squad before earning an overseas scholarship.

Jureidini wants the five high achievers to set an even higher bar for those following behind them.

“Set the highest standard for yourselves, for your teammates, for the football fraternity and the many youngsters from our Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 who are behind them,” he said.

For Jureidini, the message is bigger than football.

He believes combining academic excellence with sporting ambition gives young athletes a stronger foundation for life beyond the pitch.

“Go after the academic excellence as well as the football dominance because it’s a good mix that gives you a good opportunity in life, not just in the game of football or in sports,” he said.

And with five Harbour View youngsters leading the way, Jureidini is hoping their success will become contagious.

“So big up and congratulations, and we hope many more will exceed, follow their example and achieve greater heights,” he said.

— Howard Walker