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MARK CUMMINGS , Senior staff reporter
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Former national goalkeeper and assistant coach of Reno Football Club, Aaron Lawrence (centre), is all smiles as he receives a ball each from SRI's director of Resort Standards, Shawn Da Costa (left) and general manager of Sandals Whitehouse, Jeremy Jones, during Thursday's donation of 80 footballs to 20 clubs from the parishes of Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. (Photo: Mark Cummings)
WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland - Director of Resort Standard at the Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Shawn Da Costa says the hotel chain is moving to adopt the Drax Hall playing field in St Ann which has been in a poor state for quite some time.
"What we really want to do there is to properly cut the grounds, put in spectator stands, put in sanitary facilities, install running water...," Da Costa told reporters in Whitehouse on Thursday, shortly after SRI presented 80 footballs to 20 clubs across the parishes of St Elizabeth and Westmoreland.
There have been persistent calls over the last 10 years for the development and proper maintenance of the Drax Hall playfield, which is one of St Ann's major sporting grounds.
Although a number of St Ann Football Association Business House, Major League, Division One and Da Costa Cup games have been played at the Drax Hall grounds over the years, the facility is said to be deficient in a number of areas.
Just over three years ago, public relations manager at Sandals Ocho Rios, Ian Spencer, called for the urgent upgrading of the playing field to enable National Premier League team, Star Cosmos of St Mary, to use the facility as a home ground instead of having to use the Prison Oval in Spanish Town, or Addison Park in Brown's Town.
At that time, Spencer argued that if the facility was upgraded it could also be used as a training ground for United States sports teams during the off-season and as a catalyst to boost sports tourism in Jamaica.
On Thursday Da Coata said that although the cost for the field upgrade is yet to be finalised, SRI was committed to undertake the project as soon as the necessary approvals are granted by the St Ann Parish Council.
"We haven't done a full assessment yet on what it will cost us, but as soon as we get the necessary approvals from the St Ann Parish Council we will start the work," he said.
Meanwhile, president of the St Ann Football Association, Danny Beckford, has welcomed the decision by the hotel chain to upgrade and properly maintain the facility.
"This is good news for us. The facility here (Drax Hall) is a sore point and I am happy that Sandals Resort International sees the need and has decided to help," Beckford told Sporting World yesterday.
He argued that the lack of proper facilities at Drax Hall is hindering the development of the sport in the parish.
"The survival of football and for us to go forward with the game depends on the facility being up to standard," said Beckford. "For example, if we get a security wall around the field we can sell advertisements and generate much needed revenue to assist in the development of the game," he added.
Meanwhile, Sandals Resorts International (SRI), on Thursday presented 20 clubs from across Westmoreland and St Elizabeth with 80 footballs as part of a $2 million initiative to provide 2,000 footballs to communities across the northern and western sections of the island.
In presenting the balls to representatives of the clubs at Sandals Whitehouse, director of Resort Standards at SRI, Shawn Da Costa, said that the resort chain places a high premium on sports.
"Sports is very close to Sandals' heart - not just football," he said.
Under the initiative - the brainchild of SRI's CEO Adam Stewart - more than 800 balls have been distributed to the Flanker community in St James and several communities in St Ann and St Mary.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Former national goalkeeper and assistant coach of Reno Football Club, Aaron Lawrence (centre), is all smiles as he receives a ball each from SRI's director of Resort Standards, Shawn Da Costa (left) and general manager of Sandals Whitehouse, Jeremy Jones, during Thursday's donation of 80 footballs to 20 clubs from the parishes of Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. (Photo: Mark Cummings)
WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland - Director of Resort Standard at the Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Shawn Da Costa says the hotel chain is moving to adopt the Drax Hall playing field in St Ann which has been in a poor state for quite some time.
"What we really want to do there is to properly cut the grounds, put in spectator stands, put in sanitary facilities, install running water...," Da Costa told reporters in Whitehouse on Thursday, shortly after SRI presented 80 footballs to 20 clubs across the parishes of St Elizabeth and Westmoreland.
There have been persistent calls over the last 10 years for the development and proper maintenance of the Drax Hall playfield, which is one of St Ann's major sporting grounds.
Although a number of St Ann Football Association Business House, Major League, Division One and Da Costa Cup games have been played at the Drax Hall grounds over the years, the facility is said to be deficient in a number of areas.
Just over three years ago, public relations manager at Sandals Ocho Rios, Ian Spencer, called for the urgent upgrading of the playing field to enable National Premier League team, Star Cosmos of St Mary, to use the facility as a home ground instead of having to use the Prison Oval in Spanish Town, or Addison Park in Brown's Town.
At that time, Spencer argued that if the facility was upgraded it could also be used as a training ground for United States sports teams during the off-season and as a catalyst to boost sports tourism in Jamaica.
On Thursday Da Coata said that although the cost for the field upgrade is yet to be finalised, SRI was committed to undertake the project as soon as the necessary approvals are granted by the St Ann Parish Council.
"We haven't done a full assessment yet on what it will cost us, but as soon as we get the necessary approvals from the St Ann Parish Council we will start the work," he said.
Meanwhile, president of the St Ann Football Association, Danny Beckford, has welcomed the decision by the hotel chain to upgrade and properly maintain the facility.
"This is good news for us. The facility here (Drax Hall) is a sore point and I am happy that Sandals Resort International sees the need and has decided to help," Beckford told Sporting World yesterday.
He argued that the lack of proper facilities at Drax Hall is hindering the development of the sport in the parish.
"The survival of football and for us to go forward with the game depends on the facility being up to standard," said Beckford. "For example, if we get a security wall around the field we can sell advertisements and generate much needed revenue to assist in the development of the game," he added.
Meanwhile, Sandals Resorts International (SRI), on Thursday presented 20 clubs from across Westmoreland and St Elizabeth with 80 footballs as part of a $2 million initiative to provide 2,000 footballs to communities across the northern and western sections of the island.
In presenting the balls to representatives of the clubs at Sandals Whitehouse, director of Resort Standards at SRI, Shawn Da Costa, said that the resort chain places a high premium on sports.
"Sports is very close to Sandals' heart - not just football," he said.
Under the initiative - the brainchild of SRI's CEO Adam Stewart - more than 800 balls have been distributed to the Flanker community in St James and several communities in St Ann and St Mary.
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