THIS year’s COURTS/Petra Organisation Under-11 schools’ football championships was officially launched on Thursday in the boardroom of Courts Guyana head office on Main Street. This will be the 10th edition of the tournament, and it will be under the COURTS Optical brand.
Present at the ceremony was COURTS Optical Chain Manager, Richard Simpson; Petra Co-Director, Troy Mendonca; Guyana Football Federation Technical Director Bryan Joseph; and the Ministry of Education’s Head of Allied Arts Nicholas Fraser.
In Medonca’s brief remarks, he stated that the occasion was a momentous one, since it is the celebration of a 10-year partnership. He said, “I think it is fitting to recognise the role of this institution (Unicomer), which played a great role in the birth of the Petra Organisation, and the role we play in developing grassroots football over the past decade.”
In response, Simpson said, “Ten years is not something simple to look over; it is showing that there is opportunity, and that there is a bright future for the tournament.”
At the launch, it was disclosed that a total of 32 Schools will be vying for the Peewee title, from September 23 to October 28, with all matches being played at the Ministry of Education’s Ground on Carifesta Avenue.
The teams will be divided into eight groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Round-of-16 knockout stage. Only the quarterfinalists will remain to round out the top eight.
Enterprise Primary School is the current champion, after they claimed the title of the ninth edition in 2022, with a 2 – 1 victory over former Champion, St. Pius, in the final.
The teams that will compete in this edition of the tournament are:
GEORGETOWN: Sophia, Redeemer, FE Pollard, North Ruimveldt, Marian Academy, Winfer Gardens, St. Pius, West Ruimveldt, Tucville, Enterprise, St. Ambrose, and St. Stephens.
LINDEN: Ameila’s Ward and One Mile.
BARTICA: Potaro and St. John the Baptist. EAST BERBICE: St. Therese’s and St. Aloysius.
WEST COAST BERBICE: Belladrum and Rosignol.
EAST COAST: Ann’s Grove, Plaisance, Annandale, and Friendship.
EAST BANK: Craig, Soesdyke, and Timehri. WEST COAST: Malgre Toute, Vreed-en-Hoop, Westminster, and Leonora.
This event is in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and is sanctioned by the Guyana Football Federation, with support from Sterling Products Limited and MVP Sports.