Errol Miller - corporate affairs and communications manager of Cable and Wireless speaking at the launch of the 12th staging of Cable & Wireless' Secondary Schools Tennis Competition on Monday at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre. - CONTRIBUTED
THE 12TH STAGING of the Cable & Wireless Secondary Schools Tennis Competition was launched on Monday at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre by corporate affairs and communications manager Errol Miller.
In announcing his company's sponsorship of the tennis competition for the 12th straight year, Mr. Miller said Cable & Wireless will fund a full scholarship to the University of Technology for a participant in the competition.
Newly-elected president of Tennis Jamaica, Philip Gore thanked Cable and Wireless for their many years of sponsorship while indicating that their sponsorship over the many years had helped to broaden the sport in Jamaica. Mr. Miller was also presented with a plaque of appreciation on C&W's behalf by Tennis Jamaica director, Leroy Brown, for his company's contribution to the sport over the past 12 years.
When Cable and Wireless began sponsoring the competition in 1995, it began with just eight schools, but now there are over 60 participating schools.
The Tennis Jamaica president also indicated that his company, Gore Investments, will also be funding a full tennis sponsorship to the University of the West Indies. Both scholarship awardees are expected to come from this year's crop of competitors and will be available as of this September.
Mr. Gore also announced that three tennis centres will be established in the island shortly, where the specific focus will be on identifying and developing young talent for the future. The Eric Bell Tennis Centre is up for major reconstruction work, which will begin in earnest shortly.
Matches will be played on a regional basis over the next two and a half months and will culminate in a national final on April 7. The three regions are eastern, central and western, inclusive of parishes that lie in the areas covered by the regions. The main venues are Eric Bell Tennis Centre in Kingston, Manchester Club in Mandeville and Jack Tar Village in Montego Bay. The competition is played on a round robin basis leading up to the knockout stage in the national finals.
Several national representatives have come out of the Cable and Wireless-sponsored competition, including Eldad Campbell and Kristopher Martin of Wolmer's, Brandon Burke of Campion, and Dax Vernon of Hillel, while scholarship awardee Tinesta Rowe (formerly of Ocho Rios High) just started at Fresno State University in California.
Play in the competition began on Monday in the boys under-14, under-16 and under-19 competition.
Scores: Under-14: Jamaica College had a walk over against Norman Manley. Wolmer's defeated Hillel 3-0; Ardenne defeated St. George's 3-0.
Under 16: Campion defeated Kingston College 3-0, Wolmer's defeated Hillel 3-0, Norman Manley defeated Jamaica College (walkover); Ardenne defeated St. George's 3-0.
Under 19: Academy defeated Jamaica College 3-0, Wolmer's defeated Hillel 4-1;
Campion defeated Kingston College (walkover).
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