Good Gesture From Hillel Alberga Cup parents

[Bricktop]

My bredrin yute play for Hillel Alberga Cup squad...they played Excel Prep and gave them 11-0...Excel only had like 8 players on the field and a bunch of players on the bench...apparently the rest of the kids didn't have any shoes so they couldn't play...the Hillel parents setup a drive overnight & collected shoes and presented to the kids from Excel the next day...very nice gesture...

[Rudi]

Very good. Big ups to them.

[Assasin]

Again I will say the importance of parents in soccer development. If there weren't parents at the game, would they care?

[Mosiah]

Excel Prep?!

Can imagine how Excel Primary stay!

[Islandman]

Sass I am coming round to your view regarding youth soccer in the US. I think there is a generation of players coming up now that really love the game and will be lifelong fans. The parents are there with them game day come rain or shine as well providing all the support they ask for.

The other thing I am noticing is how technically accomplished some of these young players I am seeing are. I just don't remember seeing that among 8 and 9 year olds in Jamaica. It is very striking.

[Mosiah]

Unnu ever watch prep and primary school ball a Jamaica?

[Islandman]

Not recently. Are they far better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?

I am not talking one-on-one "skill", I am talking passing, off the ball running, shooting , things like that. Especially shooting!

[Assasin]

Mo, unitl recently there was only 3 or 4 prep schools that had decent teams.
I can Remember Mona Prep. These prep schools were heavily supported by parents.

Most of Jamaica have no structure for U8-u9.

[Assasin]

Glad you see Iman and if you are in an area where you don't have a good structure it is a good chance to get your thing going. It involve a lot of effort and time. I have seen a few good teams that really impress me with their movement and structure.

[Mosiah]

Not sure but I don't think Mona Prep can begin to compete with the real powerhouses of the competition any more.

Wish I knew what was happening at that level, but I don't. I would like to think that academies like Ballaz are doing the right things with those youngsters.

[Assasin]

I remember you asking why Portland, St.Mary and many rural teams can't compete at the youth level and I know that until 2000 you had no primary or prep school competition in these places and very few places played under 12.

I know there are a few in Kingston as my brother and other family members played in the prep school league but I didn't see anything great in Mobay, Ochi or the eastern end. I know a few parish doing under 12 but only in certain areas but not all over the parishes.

[Islandman]

There is already a decent amount of organized youth soccer in my area. It is big business! League after league throughout the year attracting hundreds of youth at $120-$150 a head.

It really makes a difference when you teach the fundamentals at an early age. Average talent players can become very effective players.

[Islandman]

And that could just be that those kinds of leagues require a lot of parental support , not just the cost but also to serve as managers, coaches, etc. Middle class parents can do that, poor people nuh really in the position to do as much.

Me know some families here that have 2 and 3 children playing every Saturday in different leagues. Dem haffe split up and make Daddy tek 1 and Mommy go with the 1 that travelling out of town. Me talking 8,9,10 year olds! It takes a lot of dedication and time.

[Assasin]

It takes a lot of time as you say mi friend. I am telling them that this is a big reason. Without the support of parents as managers, coaches and helping out there would be no youth soccer in US.

I however think we could do better in the inner city communities and that is why I have to big up Emperor and former poster "coach" who find a way to run their team and found a few strong parents who help them and travel as a team to some competitions and compete. Wish them all the luck. Use to help out in a program with elementary schools but my job now and my two boys don't give me the time. At about age 10 parents can work and cut down some of the travelling etc.by helping each other.

[Mosiah]

Sorry to say but those kids won't amount to anything re football. Where is the effort, the sacrifice, the struggle...the snow factor!

Ghetto children have to walk to training or tek bus. No one knows how many bullets they had to duck along the way. The making of champions!