National Gridiron Championship returns this weekend
“It’s been really good, even post-COVID. We came right out of COVID-19 and we had something like 10 teams being involved when before it was 14. We’re in the process of building back some of these teams. It’s not a question of lack of interest, it’s a question of the school’s resources.
THE NATIONAL Tackle Football Association (NTFA) National Gridiron Championship is set to kick off this weekend at Brooks Park, Mandeville. The opening game will see the three-time defending champions Munro College take on Newell High.
NTFA executive director Jerome Harriott expects the match to be an exciting fixture as Munro College, who are unbeaten in competitive matches, will be putting their unbeaten streak on the line when they face off against Newell High, the two-time runners-up with a lot to prove.
The fixture will be a rematch of the last two championship games.
“I can tell you Newell have really upped their game this year. Munro have never lost a game in competition in the four years that we’ve been active so they always come strong,” he said. “I think from what I’ve seen of Newell this year, they seem to be very a highpowered team. They’re a very fast team and it should be a very good game. It should be an exceptional game.”
Harriott says the NTFA has seen improvements in the spread of tackle football in Jamaica, and this season proves no different.
According to Harriott, the competition has recovered from the setback of the pandemic and are seeing more schools being interested in competing. However, despite the interest, several schools are unable to compete due to financial struggles.
“It’s been really good, even post-COVID. We came right out of COVID-19 and we had something like 10 teams being involved when before it was 14. We’re in the process of building back some of these teams. It’s not a question of lack of interest, it’s a question of the school’s resources.
“A lot of the schools are financially strapped right now so paying for coaches and referees, which is basically all they would have to pay for because we pay for everything else – we donate all the equipments to them and the uniforms – so it’s just a question of financial struggles which most of the schools are coming out of right now.”
Harriott says the quality of play has been improving in the league. The NTFA has been seeing some success from their competitions as athletes are being selected for scholarships overseas.
This, Harriott says, i s proof that the quality in Jamaica is comparable to the athletes in the United States.
“I can tell you this, the student athletes on all these teams are exceptional athletes and the talent that is here rivals that in the United States. Last season, 19 of our guys got multiple scholarship offers and there are more guys being offered scholarships this year, so it’s something that we’re looking forward to.”