High expectations for Caribbean Golf Championship team

Six of Jamaica’s eight-member team to this year’s Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship departed the island yesterday  for the Dominican Republic, with high expectations for individual performances. The other two players will join the team for their practice round today. 
  The six local-based players have been preparing for some time to compete in the championship, and to deliver very good performances ,even though they do not expect to challenge for the overall team title, because Jamaica will not have a full team this year. 
   The team is a mix of new and experienced players. The returning local players are Alessandra Coe in 15 and under Girls, Shasa Redlefsen in 15 and under Boys, and Kemari Morris in 18 and under Boys. Coe, who won her first medal last year when she brought back a bronze in the 13 and under age group, moves up to 15 and under Girls this year. Redlefson brings a lot of experience to the championship, as he will be representing Jamaica for the fifth time this year. Morris also has a number of years of experience under his belt.
Notably, there are three members on the team who will be representing Jamaica for the first time. The new members are Amelia Clough in the 13 and under Girls, and Jaleel Eccleston and Mark Schnoor in the 13 and under Boys age group.
The two overseas-based players are Fancesca Black – 15 and under Girls - and Kingston Burke in the 18 and under Girls category. Black is based in Florida while Burke is based in Texas.
Redlefsen’s high expectation is based on his years of experience representing the team.
  “My expectations are high. I have a good amount of experience coming into this tournament. It's my first time in 15 and under, so I don’t have the experience for 15 and under but I have experience for the tournament and I think I will be able to do well. I am playing good golf and I trust myself.”

Kevin Cunningham, who has been preparing the team for this year’s competition, will be guiding them on tour for the first time. He is the director of golf at Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay, which is one of the two courses that were used to prepare the team for the championship, the other one being Constant Spring Golf Club in Kingston.

“I am not expecting them to win the golf tournament but we are expecting them to set their own targets, set their expectations, and we will help them with that and hopefully they’ll reach these expectations and those goals,” said Cunningham when asked about what to expect from the team this year.

He also said that “its going to be a challenge for us but we will do the best we can and we will do quite well, I think”.
After today's  practice round at the Playa Dorado Golf Club, the 54-hole championship will tee off tomorrow and end on Thursday.
Alison Reid, who has been championing junior golf development in Jamaica for the longest while, will manage the team during the championship.
Team Jamaica were the runners-up twice but several individuals have won age-group trophies, the last one being Mattea Issa, who won the 18 and under Girls category in 2025.