分类： sports

As one of the longest-running youth football competitions on the island of Barbados enters its fourth decade of operation, it is getting the most transformative upgrade in its history, with organisers rolling out major changes designed to elevate the event’s regional profile and give rising young talent a world-class stage to showcase their skills.

For 30 years, the BICO Primary School football tournament has nurtured grassroots football talent across Barbados, but this year’s edition will mark a series of firsts that set a new benchmark for youth sports events on the island. The announcement of the revamped schedule and format was made by Zahir Motara, senior coach at the National Sports Council (NSC), during the official launch of the 2024 tournament on Thursday.

Motara confirmed that for the first time ever in the tournament’s history, both the semifinal and final rounds will be hosted at the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Technical Centre in Wildey — the same facility that plays host to international matches and the island’s top-tier Premier League. Most notably, the 2024 championship final scheduled for June 27 will be played under floodlights, a first for any primary school football final in Barbados’ history.

This upgrade is no random change; it is the result of the NSC’s new tiered system framework for all major domestic youth sports events, developed in partnership with the BFA to deliver a more competitive, fan-friendly experience. “This venue will give our young players a professional match environment that truly matches the incredible talent and dedication they bring to the pitch every season,” Motara said, referring to the “dynamite Final Four” round that will kick off the event’s closing stage.

To expand the competition’s reach beyond in-person spectators, organisers are also planning to live stream both the semifinal and final matches. This move will open the tournament up to thousands of football fans across the Caribbean region and around the globe, giving participating young players, event organisers and sponsoring partners the broad exposure their work deserves.

Interest in the 2024 tournament has hit an all-time high, with more than 1,100 young athletes representing 70 primary schools from across Barbados registered to compete. The tournament will officially get underway on May 12, with play split across eight geographic zones named in honour of local Barbadian football icons: the Edward Smith and Frank Holder Zone, Dane Alleyne Zone, Dennis Leacock Zone, Reginald Haynes and Victor “Gas” Clarke Zone, Kenville “Cab” Layne Zone, Keith Griffith Zone, Ricardo Mickey Gibson Zone, and the Adrian Donovan and Michael Foster Zone. A total of 280 matches will be played across the group stage, with playoffs set to launch on June 10.

Long-time sponsor BICO has been onboard for all but two of the tournament’s 30 years, and the company’s general manager Audley Grimes reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to nurturing Barbadian youth. “At BICO, we know our role in this community goes far beyond the products and services we provide. It is rooted in building up the next generation and strengthening the bonds that hold our communities together,” Grimes said. “This tournament lives out that belief, giving kids space to grow their confidence, learn teamwork, and build the discipline that will serve them for life.”

West Terrace Primary will enter the 2024 tournament as the defending champions, ready to defend their title against a field of hungry rising teams across the island.

The defending champions of the West Indies Championship, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are now just one victory away from lifting the trophy for a second consecutive time, after a dominant 93-run win against Windward Islands Volcanoes locked in their spot in the title decider. Played on the fourth and final day of the round-robin fixture at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground, Wednesday’s result pushed Tevin Imlach’s side to the summit of the league table, earning them an automatic direct berth in the championship final and completing a 3-0 clean sweep across their head-to-head meetings with the Volcanoes this season.

Windward Islands Volcanoes had an uphill battle from the moment they resumed play on Wednesday, requiring 319 runs to claim victory with nine wickets remaining in their second innings at 17 for one. The contest quickly swung firmly in the Harpy Eagles’ favour early on, as Nial Smith trapped Stephan Pascal leg before wicket for 12, before fast bowler Shamar Joseph removed Kavem Hodge for just eight, leaving the Volcanoes reeling at 36 for three.

A 74-run fourth-wicket stand between Johann Jeremiah and Alick Athanaze briefly revived the underdogs’ chances of an upset, pushing the score to 110 for three and giving the side hope of a remarkable comeback. However, the game shifted again once veteran spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed Jeremiah’s wicket for 25, opening the door for left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie – the Harpy Eagles’ standout performer for the entire 2024 season – to take control of the contest. Motie quickly picked up the wickets of Shadrack Descarte and Noelle Leo, dropping the Volcanoes to 145 for six with just four wickets left in the innings.

Though Athanaze put up a resilient fight, finishing with a patient 64 from 116 deliveries, the lower order could not withstand the spin attack from Motie and Permaul. The pair combined to take the final four wickets of the innings, wrapping up the 93-run win. Motie finished with match figures of 4 wickets for 82 runs, Permaul claimed 3 for 41, and Joseph ended with 2 for 26 to round out the Harpy Eagles’ bowling performance.

In the second simultaneous round-robin fixture hosted at Antigua’s Antigua Recreation Ground, Leeward Islands Hurricanes pulled off a remarkable rearguard batting effort to secure a draw against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Resuming the final day at 160 for four, the Hurricanes faced a daunting task of batting out the full day to avoid defeat, but centuries from top-order batter Keacy Carty and captain Justin Greaves turned the tide of the match.

Trapped in a must-save situation, Carty and Greaves built a match-saving 174-run fifth-wicket partnership that dragged the Hurricanes back into the contest and put a Red Force victory out of reach. The pair carried the home side’s score to 271 before left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed a return catch to remove Carty, who had battled for four hours and 45 minutes to score 104 from 212 balls, hitting 16 boundaries and two sixes along the way.

Red Force kept pushing for the win that would have secured them top spot, and soon claimed the wickets of Cameron Pennyfeather for 20 and Greaves – who notched a defiant 122 from 178 balls, with 14 fours and one six – leaving the Hurricanes at 355 for seven. However, any remaining hopes of a win for the visitors were snuffed out by an unbroken late-wicket stand between Rahkeem Cornwall and Jahmar Hamilton. Cornwall scored an unbeaten 66 from 100 balls, while Hamilton finished 50 not out off 111, adding an unbroken 112 runs for the eighth wicket to force the two sides to agree to a draw when the Hurricanes reached 467 for seven.

Pacer Anderson Phillip finished with impressive figures of 4 for 89 for Red Force, who held on to second place in the final round-robin standings. As a result, Red Force will now face Barbados Pride in a semi-final qualifier, with the winner advancing to the championship final to take on the top-seeded Guyana Harpy Eagles for the West Indies Championship title.

Barbados’ top sports official is pushing the private sector to take a more active and transformative role in advancing the island’s sports ecosystem, calling out longstanding gaps in corporate support for local athletic talent. Minister of Sport Charles Griffith made the call during a special forum focused on unlocking the commercial potential of Barbadian sports, held at the Wildey Gymnasium to mark World Intellectual Property Day. The event, themed “Who Owns the Game? Unlocking the Business of Sport in Barbados”, brought together key industry stakeholders to discuss strategies for growing sports as a viable economic sector.

The Caribbean cricketing community is in mourning this week following the unexpected death of Norman Gilbert, a beloved former leader of Grenada’s cricket governing body and long-serving member of the Windward Islands Cricket Board. Dr. Kishore Shallow, president of Cricket West Indies (CWI), has released an official statement extending heartfelt sympathies to Gilbert’s loved ones and the regional cricketing fraternity after the sudden passing.

In his address, Shallow highlighted the widespread respect Gilbert earned across the sport throughout his decades of service, pointing to his well-documented integrity, quiet humility, and rare ability to motivate everyone from emerging young players to senior cricket administrators and industry stakeholders. Shallow emphasized that Gilbert’s impact stretched far beyond his official roles, cementing his status as one of the most influential stewards of the game in the Eastern Caribbean.

“On behalf of the entire Cricket West Indies organization, I want to extend our deepest condolences to Norman’s family, his close friends, and every member of the cricketing community across Grenada and the wider region,” Shallow wrote in the statement.

Shallow remembered Gilbert as a deeply committed, forward-thinking leader who served cricket with exceptional distinction throughout his tenure. His consistent, unshakable commitment to growing and elevating cricket in Grenada, paired with his authentic enthusiasm for lifting up the sport at every level from grassroots to elite competition, has left a permanent, meaningful mark on the region’s cricketing ecosystem.

Notably, Shallow noted that Gilbert’s contributions went far beyond the day-to-day work of sports administration. Gilbert was a true custodian of cricket who firmly believed in the game’s unique ability to bring divided communities together and improve life for residents across the island. “At this incredibly difficult time, the entire CWI family stands in full solidarity with the Grenada Cricket Association and the people of Grenada as they grieve this enormous loss,” Shallow added. “Norman’s legacy will endure long through the countless lives he touched, and the robust foundation he helped build for cricket in Grenada. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”