PRIZE-winners in this year’s third edition of the Mackeson-sponsored ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Futsal football, namely Sparta Boss and Festival City, yesterday received their cash prizes in a simple ceremony held at Ansa McAl’s Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara office.
However, while members of both teams

thanked the sponsors for making the event a successful one with their generosity, the call for individual prizes, such as Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Most Goals Scorer were made.
Captain of the victorious Sparta Boss lineup, Devon Millington, also thanked his colleagues for the hard work they put in, despite the circumstances they faced during the tournament, when they lost one game, on the final night before rebounding to clinch the title with a one-nil victory over West Front Road, thanks to Sheldon Shepherd’s rocket-like shot in the 35th minute of play.
Millington was the first to make a call to the organiser Kevin Adonis, for the addition of a MVP and Most Goals Scorer awards, saying such individual prizes will always serve as a motivating factor to the players in any tournament.
“It is always good, when you can win a tournament and see one of your teammates receive a prize after being named the MVP or for scoring the most goals.
It brings joy to any team, along with the championship trophy and while this year’s ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ tournament was a successful one, there is a need for those two individual prizes to be added to the roster for next year’s tournament.”
The diminutive striker, who, along with his prodigy Dennis Edwards, Paul Giles, Jerome Weekes, Jerome Richardson, Virgil Glasgow, Terrence Greene, Morgan Chase and Sheldon Shepherd made up the victorious lineup, asked that next year’s tournament be more professional in the organising sector.
“Due to personal reasons, I was unable to make it for the final night last Saturday, but from all reports received, the organiser needs to organise the tournament more effectively next time around, especially when it comes to the knockout stages, since that is where the problem lies at times in most tournaments,” posited Millington.
His last plea did not fall on deaf ears, as the organiser of the tournament Kevin Adonis,, who was nearby while Millington was making his comments, said this is the first year Mackeson has joined forces and he was forced to prove himself, something he felt he did amicablyl also.
“I asked Mackeson to come on board with me this year and readily and willingly they did so, leaving me to prove myself. I think I did a good job despite the several hiccups faced and when I go back to the drawing board for next year’s tournament, those hiccups will be ironed out, making that tournament a bigger and better one.”
He added, “I heard the player’s plea for individual prizes, such as MVP and Most Goals and yes once things are worked out amicably with Mackeson next year, those prizes will be included for the tournament.”
Ansa McAl’s Mackeson brand manager Jamal Douglas said the tournament was a success story from beginning to end and showered praise on Sparta Boss for their victory.
“Next year, we will be looking to make this tournament a much better one, wherein we will be taking it to the communities around Georgetown as well.
Added to that, Millington’s plea for the individual prizes will be looked at closely when we sit and talk with Adonis, along with the playing of more exhibition matches during the duration of the tournament.”
Forty-eight teams entered the competition but in the end it was Sparta Boss, Festival City and West Front Road who competed on the final night last Saturday on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tarmac, where close to 2 500 fans of the sport made their presence felt.
Sparta Boss carted off $300 000 a trophy and set of uniforms while Festival City, who finished second, took home $150 000 a trophy and a set of uniforms, with West Front Road, who had defeated Festival City on penalty kicks before going down to Sparta Boss in the final, went home empty-handed.