JC plan long-term hold on Manning Cup
MANAGER OF Jamaica College’s Manning Cup team, Ian Forbes, has warned rivals that the school intends to continue winning even more. Forbes made his comments yesterday as the Hope Road-based school celebrated a fourth straight title and 28th overall.
It’s the first time in 64 years that the Manning Cup has won by the same school for four consecutive years. Kingston College last did it from 1949 to 1952.
The self-styled ‘True Blue’ institution, located at 189 Old Hope Road celebrated inside the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, three days after they had beaten Wolmer’s Boys 2-1 in a hard-fought National Stadium final.
A yesterday’s function members of the school’s board, management, academic staff, parents and students gave thanks for what was dubbed “a blessing.”
Speaking in an interview with The Gleaner, team manager and old boy Forbes said members of the champion team were all passionate about the game.
“It is pretty easy to motivate these young men; they are very passionate about what they do, they work very hard, and they prepare very well,” Forbes said.
“Once a boy comes through the gates of Jamaica College, he is transformed [by], it’s fighting spirit, never-say-die attitude, and the quest to be a champion,” Forbes added.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
He credited the tremendous resources – financial and human – “persons giving of their time and energy to make everything work’ ”for JC’s success.
He admitted that JC Manning Cup budget is a ‘huge’. He did not give a precise figure but he estimated that “it is in the region of millions of dollars”.
One of the men at the centre of the winning project, coach Miguel Coley, has won the Cup in all his four years at the school.
“Our school has gone through a lot this year, and winning the Manning Cup is just a message that we will always rise above the adversity. We are an institution of champions on the football field, and off it, we want to use the football team as an example that you can be great,” he charged the students.
The emotional Coley, revealed: “This great school has changed my life.”
Principal Wayne Robinson led the cheers at the function shouting: “JC, JC, a big side !! Coley a big coach! to rapturous applause.
“We have had a very challenging time over the last couple of months. We’ve had three deaths and I heard Mr Forbes dedicate this win to me, and I dedicate this win to the three boys we lost ... and dedicating this Manning Cup to their families,” principal Robinson said.
Meanwhile, captain Oquin Robinson who played in the competition for three years, called it a “tremendous privilege to captain this great institution.”
“I helped to win three Manning Cups, the Walker Cup, the FLOW Super Cup and Olivier Shield and I feel good,” he said.
JC are already eyeing their next title this season. After Saturday’s win the team returned to training at noon on Monday to prepare for the Walker Cup knockout final against Kingston College tomorrow.