SOUTHBOROUGH Primary School emerged champions of the Youth Football League (YFL) Junior Cup Under-11 St Catherine Regional Championship on Saturday, October 10, defeating Bridgeport Primary 3-0 in the final at Ferdie Neita Park, home of Portmore United Football Club.

The tournament marked a significant milestone for the Youth Football League, which brought its flagship Junior Cup competition to St Catherine for the first time as part of its continued expansion across Jamaica.

Launched in 2022, the Junior Cup has established itself as an important platform for grassroots football development, bringing together primary and preparatory schools and creating opportunities for young players to compete in a professionally organised environment.

The competition delivered an exciting day of football, with several closely contested matches and impressive performances from the participating schools.

Southborough Primary secured the championship with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bridgeport Primary, capping an impressive tournament performance.

The winning team’s coach praised the organisation and standard of the competition, describing the experience as an important opportunity for the school’s young footballers.

“The vibe and the status of the tournament is of a high standard. Really good for grassroots development. We want to thank you [Youth Football League] for the opportunity. We are not used to this standard of tournament,” said Evon Morgan, the Southborough Primary coach.

The championship trophy was presented by Garwin Tulloch, chairman of Portmore United Football Club, who was on hand to witness the final and celebrate the achievements of the young players.

“The development of football must begin at the grass roots level, and competitions like the Junior Cup provide an important foundation for our young players. We were pleased to host the tournament at Portmore United and to see these schools and their players getting the opportunity to compete in such a well-organised environment. Initiatives like this are important to the future of Jamaican football,” said Tulloch.

For tournament organiser Paula Pinnock, managing director of the Youth Football League, the expansion into St Catherine represents much more than adding another parish to the competition’s calendar.

“Every region presents new challenges but we are not deterred by that because, at the heart of everything we do, this is about development and creating opportunities for our children,” Pinnock explained.

“Some schools face significant challenges simply getting their teams to participate. Schools like Kilsyth Primary, located in north-western Clarendon, have limited resources, while Mineral Heights also travelled from that parish to be part of the competition. Many of these schools do not have access to established grassroots football programmes for this age group, and we are happy that the Junior Cup can provide that opportunity.”

Pinnock emphasised that the league’s commitment extends beyond staging football matches.

“There are many football tournaments, and we are happy to be a difference-maker. Our focus is not on generating revenue; it is on giving back, creating access and helping as many schools and young players as possible. We want children to experience the excitement of competing, representing their schools and being part of something special, regardless of their circumstances.”

That commitment was further demonstrated through the league’s Gears for Greatness initiative, which saw three young players receive football boots to take home during the St Catherine tournament.

The initiative, which collects and redistributes football equipment to children in need, forms part of YFL’s wider efforts to reduce the financial barriers that prevent talented young players from participating in organised football.

“For some children, something as simple as having a proper pair of football boots can make a tremendous difference. These are the moments that remind us why we do what we do,” Pinnock added.

Following successful regional tournaments in Trelawny and St Catherine, the YFL now turns its attention to Kingston and St Andrew, where the next leg of the Junior Cup will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the UWI Mona Bowl.

Schools will compete for regional honours and qualification to the AllIsland Championship, scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at the same venue.

Registration remains open for eligible primary and preparatory schools interested in participating in the Kingston and St Andrew leg.

The league acknowledged the continued support of its sponsors and partners, including Kemtek, JN Group, ICWI, Pure Water, YO Sports & Arts Foundation, Usain Bolt Foundation, FYI Consultancy Group and Funland Jamaica, whose contributions help sustain the competition and its wider grass-roots development initiatives.