Grace Mighty Malt Victory Cup providing greater leverage for youth

The annual Grace Mighty Malt Victory Cup youth football tournament, which takes place this weekend at the UWI, Mona Bowl, is becoming one of the premier two-day competitions in the region.

That sentiment was expressed at the launch at the Grace Kennedy building on Wednesday.

Gregory Jones, CEO of Pronation Sports, organisers of the tournament and many other youth tournaments across the island, revealed that his vision is to give young aspiring Jamaican footballers the opportunity to play the game year-round.

“Before Pronation, we had football being played for three to four months of the year. After December, there was no football.

“In the US, in Europe, they play football for 10 months of the year. How are we going to compete if we only play three to four months? Why can’t we have something here that can expose our boys and girls to football throughout the year?” he commented.

Starting with 30 teams in 2019, the tournament has grown to comprise over 90 teams this weekend, and Kristina Hall of Grace Foods emphasised its remarkable growth.

“This year’s staging is expected to be the largest staging yet. We have outgrown Caymanas (the former venue). We will have over 90 teams, 15,000 boys and girls, and the remarkable growth speaks for itself,” she observed.

“From just 30 teams when they just began, to 84 teams and now 90 this year, the Victory Cup has become one of Jamaica’s Premier football competitions,” she stated.

The Jamaica Football Federation, through its operations manager, Omar McFarlane, endorsed the tournament, calling it the biggest in the region.

“The Jamaica Football Federation congratulates Pronation Sports and everyone behind the Grace Mighty Malt Victory Cup, the Caribbean’s largest youth football tournament.

“More than 90 teams from across the region coming together in one celebration of talent and competition, exactly the type of platform our young players need,” he said.

The tournament is scheduled to get under way at 8 a.m. each day, with competitions from Under-8s to Under-17s, plus an Under-16 girls tournament.

Group games will take place on Saturday, and quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, will be played on Sunday.

Top coach for 2025, Raymond Leverage of Total Football Academy, said this is where it all begins for the youngsters.

“Grassroots football is where everything begins. If Jamaica wants to compete consistently at a high level, then we must continue to invest in and support grassroots programmes,” he said.

“Talent alone is not enough. It takes money, patience and mentorship and that is why tournaments like the Victory Cup are so important,” he said.