‘These are moments we dream of’

Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Sunday thanked the sponsors who enabled her foundation to stage the Pocket Rocket Foundation’s Six-A-Side Football Competition for a 10th year, culminating in an All-Star team of 13 players and two coaches being selected to represent Jamaica at a tournament in St Vincent and the Grenadines in April.

The Pocket Rocket Six-A-Side, comprising 20 teams, helps to foster peace among youth in areas close to the Spanish Town Road industrial belt of St Andrew, including Waterhouse, from which Fraser-Pryce rose to become one of the world’s most decorated sprinters, winning eight Olympic medals – three gold, four silver and a bronze – as well as multiple World Championship titles.

Beaming with pride on confirmation of the All-Star team travelling to St Vincent, Fraser-Pryce praised the sponsors for a decade of support.

“These are moments we dream of, to give the guys exposure, any opportunity to be seen,” said Fraser-Pryce during the presentation ceremony at Red Stripe Oval, after Legend beat Medley Mixers 2-1 to claim the competition’s trophy.

Former St Vincent and the Grenadines national player Renson Haynes, who had extended the invitation to the Pocket Rocket Foundation, said Fraser-Pryce responded almost immediately after receiving the proposal.

“We can’t wait to host you, but wi can’t mek yu beat wi,” said Haynes, adding that witnessing the Pocket Rocket Foundation Six-A-Side live was a totally different feeling than watching from afar on social media.

The 13 players will spend April 8-13 in St Vincent, during which they will play two matches.

“For 10 years, the sponsors have been helping with the development of these young men. I want to thank them all, the title sponsor, Rymax Lubricants, Main Event Entertainment Group, Sanmerna Paper Products, who ensure that at every match day there is a giveaway,” said Fraser-Pryce.

“This is what we are working towards, giving young people opportunities; most of all, to keep them away from crime and violence. The sponsors have continued to pour money into the foundation, year after year. For these companies to realise their social responsibility, supporting these young men throughout the year, I am very happy because we couldn’t have paid for all this,” she added.

Main Event Group’s Chief Executive Officer Solomon Sharpe, a former footballer, said he is familiar with the socio-economic structure of the nearby communities.

“Having worked as a brand executive at Red Stripe, I make it a duty to support the Pocket Rocket Foundation to meet its mandate,” said Sharpe, whose Main Event was joined by other sponsors such as Gatorade, Tank-Weld, Digicel, Nike, GraceKennedy, Restaurants of Jamaica, through its KFC brand, and Fesgas.

Legend dominated the All-Star selection with five players, including Jahiem Dorman, who netted twice against Medley Mixers to top the tournament with nine goals, drawing praise from dancehall legend and Waterhouse native Beenie Man, who gave an impromptu performance, much to the delight of Fraser-Pryce and spectators.