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Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts has acknowledged the work being done through its coaching-education programme, citing the achievements of several local coaches during the 2024 calendar year.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Ricketts said Jamaica’s coaching education has produced several of the region’s best coaching minds.
“Our coaching education would have produced, and I have no apologies saying this, some great coaches with great ambition and great skill,” the president remarked.
He praised Glenmuir High School’s head coach, Andrew Peart, who is also head of Jamaica’s coaching education, for leading the Clarendon-based school to a second consecutive ISSA Champions Cup title.
Peart also guided Jamaica’s U14 team to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U14 Boys Challenge Series title earlier in August.
Ricketts also highlighted Xavier Gilbert, who led Arnett Gardens to CFU Club Shield success; Vassell Reynolds, head coach of Manning Cup champions Kingston College (KC); and Merron Gordon, head coach of daCosta Cup champions Garvey Maceo.
“You can look at Arnett Gardens, who is coached by Xavier Gilbert. He is one of the six A liencsed coaches in Jamaica. You can look at Andrew Peart, who is the principal for the coaching school. He won a national competition, the Champions Cup,” he said.
“You can look at Vassell Reynolds, who won the Manning Cup. He is also one of our A licence coaches, and you can look at Garvey Maceo and Merron Gordon. He is also one of our A licence coaches,” Ricketts continued.
The JFF president said as Jamaican coaches continue to achieve success locally and regionally, they have become household names across the Caribbean.
He pointed to the recent success of Rudolph Speid and Cavalier SC, having won the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and will compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup for their second consecutive season.
Ricketts said Speid’s success has caught the attention of the region and marks a major milestone for Jamaican football.
“Finally, Rudolph Speid, and like I’ve said, Cavalier and Speid have now become household names around the region. Just last weekend, I was at a Concacaf Presidents’ meeting, and Cavalier and Speid were virtually the toast of the convention,” he recalled.
“Locally, we may take these things lightly, but people around the region do not. I must again congratulate our coaching education and the support staff, headed by Peart and Speid, they certainly would have done very well.”
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