A RECORD number of teams have registered for the 11th Annual Courts Optical Pee Wee Under-11 football tournament, which kicks off next Saturday at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.
The tournament was launched last Thursday at Courts Store on Main Street, with both
organisers and sponsors expressing their excitement in preparation for the start of the event.

Troy Mendonca, Co-Director of Petra Organisation said there will be an increase in teams from last year’s 32 participants, with eight of the ten administrative regions being represented, bringing players from as far as Barima/Waini in Region One.

Mendonca said the tournament has grown significantly over the years, becoming a much-anticipated event on the primary schools’ curriculum. He expressed gratitude for the support given by Minister of Education Priya Manikchand, and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr. to the programme.

Malissa Sylvester, Head of Sales at Unicomer Guyana Inc, the parent company of Courts
Guyana, said her company is thrilled to witness the continued growth of the tournament, and it aligns perfectly with their value of promoting social good.
“The significant milestone marks more than a decade of dedication to serving our communities, and empowering young talent. Through our social programmes and sponsorships, Courts Optical not only promotes good eye health, but also the total development of the child,” she said.

Franklyn Wilson, Assistant Director of Sport, and Head of the Unit of Allied Arts of the Ministry of Education Nicholas Fraser both emphasised the importance of sport and its benefit to children in their remarks.
Richard Simpson, Courts Optical Brand Manager, the premier sponsor of the tournament, said he is excited for the start of the tournament, and expressed appreciation to the Petra Organisation for its organizational ability.
The tournament will start on Saturday, September 21, and will run until November 2.

The teams will first play in a round-robin group format groups of 4 or 8 depending on the final number of teams, before being reduced to 16 following the preliminary phase to 16, with the winner of the Round of 16 advancing to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.

St. Pius Primary School of Georgetown was last year’s winners.