Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrated a significant milestone for her Pocket Rocket Foundation as she announced the selection of 13 players and two coaches to represent Jamaica in an upcoming international football tournament in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The announcement followed the foundation’s tenth annual Six-A-Side football competition, where Legend emerged victorious over Melody Mixers with a 2-1 scoreline in the championship match at Red Stripe Oval.
The Jamaican sprint legend expressed profound satisfaction in creating opportunities for youth development through sports. “These are the moments we dream of – providing exposure and visibility for these young athletes,” Fraser-Pryce stated during the presentation ceremony. The tournament specifically targets communities along the Spanish Town Road industrial corridor in St Andrew, including Waterhouse, the neighborhood where Fraser-Pryce herself developed into a world-class athlete.
A decade of corporate sponsorship has been instrumental in the foundation’s success. Fraser-Pryce extended gratitude to title sponsor Rymax Lubricants, Main Event Entertainment Group, Sanmerna Paper Products, and several other supporting organizations. “For ten years, these sponsors have contributed to developing these young men. Their social responsibility initiatives make this possible,” she emphasized, highlighting the program’s role in steering youth away from crime and violence through structured sports engagement.
Solomon Sharpe, CEO of Main Event Group and former footballer, reinforced his commitment to the foundation’s mission. Having previously worked with Red Stripe, Sharpe maintains deep connections to the community development goals. Additional support comes from major brands including Gatorade, Tank-Weld, Digicel, Nike, GraceKennedy, KFC through Restaurants of Jamaica, and Fesgas.
Tournament standout Jahiem Dorman from Legend FC secured top scorer honors with nine goals, earning him one of five spots on the All-Star team from his championship squad. The selection ceremony received celebrity endorsement from dancehall icon Beenie Man, who delivered a spontaneous performance in celebration.
The international invitation came from former St Vincent and the Grenadines national player Renson Haynes, who praised Fraser-Pryce’s immediate positive response to the tournament proposal. Haynes humorously noted, “We can’t wait to host you but we can’t let you beat us,” acknowledging the competitive spirit awaiting the Jamaican contingent during their April 8-13 visit, which will feature two competitive matches.