9th edition of Milo tournament to be bigger, better
By Jemima Holmes
48 secondary school football teams, not limited to the Coastland, will lace up their boots in a little over a week’s time for the 9th edition of the Nestle Milo Schools Under-18 Football tournament.
This year’s tournament will bring together schools from the hinterland regions; the Essequibo Coast; West and East Coast Demerara; Berbice, Linden, and Georgetown in what would inevitably be a grand display of this country’s youth talent.
Petra Co-Director Troy Mendonca
At a simple launch at Milo distributor Massy’s Montrose, East Coast Demerara location, Massy’s Nestle Senior Business Unit Manager Teisha Milner spoke of the company’s commitment to the tournament, and by extension the production of well-rounded students.
“As stated earlier, we recognize the need for sport in our schools today, and we are committed to supporting events that afford each student the opportunity to engage and participate in extracurricular sporting activities,” Milner told the gathering on Monday afternoon. “We are optimistic that events of this nature, combined with holistic academic and extracurricular (activities), will certainly help in transforming and grow our future generation.”
The Milo tournament has also garnered the support of the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), whose representatives: Africo Selman – Advisor to the Minister of Education, and Keeran Williams – Marketing Officer, touched on the successful attributes of the schools’ football tournament.
Expansion and inclusion
With 48 teams scheduled to compete initially, the Petra-organized tournament has noticeably grown and is set to reintroduce private institutions to the tournament.
Regarding the expansion of the Milo U18 tournament, Petra’s Co-Director Troy Mendonca indicated that it has been the intention of the organization for some time.
Nestle Senior Business Unit Manager Teisha Milner
“We, over the years, have tried our best in terms of having this tournament competed at a nationwide level; but, of course, that goes with an enormous cost. And so, bit by bit, we are trying to achieve that,” he explained. “So, this year, you would have noticed that we would have extended the invitation to 48 teams on a wider spread.”
Quizzed by sports media operatives about the reintroduction of private schools to the competition, after their omission back in 2019, Mendonca explained that the organization has moved to iron out the issues that they encountered when including private school teams.
“Over the years, they would have been engaging the Ministry of Education in terms of systems and structures that we want to put in place in terms of them coming back into the tournament. We would have had several meetings with senior officials from both the Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Education,” Mendonca explained.
He further elucidated, “Two of the requirements (are): that they must have kids register at the beginning of the school year, and they must show evidence that they’re writing at least 2 CXC subjects. So, to the Massy Group, and Nestle, through the Milo brand, we want to congratulate you and say a big thank you to you, (for endorsing) this tournament for the ninth year,” Mendonca concluded in a bid at gratitude.
From left, GFF’s Keeran Williams, MoE’s Africo Selman, Massy’s Teisha Milner, Massy Distribution Guyana CEO Navin Thakur, COO Troy Beharry, Petra’s Troy Mendonca and Jackie Boodie
The team taking home the Milo U18 Championship would be rewarded with a $300,000 grand prize, to be received in kind for their school. 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners would be rewarded with $200,000, $100,000 and $75,000 respectively.
List of participating teams:
East Coast Reg #4
1. Annandale Secondary
2. Ann’s Grove Secondary
3. Golden Grove Secondary
4. President’s College
East Berbice Reg #6
5. Berbice Educational Inst
6. Canje Secondary School
7. Berbice High School
8. New Amsterdam Sec
9. Manchester Secondary
Bartica Region #7
10. Bartica Secondary
West Coast Berbice Reg #5
11. Bush Lot Secondary
12. Bygeval Secondary
East Bank Demerara Reg #4
13 St. Cuthbert’s Mission Sec
14. Dora Secondary
Essequibo Coast Region #2
23. 8 of May Secondary
24. Cotton Field Secondary
Linden Region #10
25. Wismar Christiansburg
26 Mackenzie High
Georgetown
27. Bishops’ High School
28. Carmel Secondary
29. Charlestown Secondary
30. North Ruimveldt Sec
31.Cummings Lodge Sec
32. East Ruimveldt Sec
33. Chase Academy
34. Morgan’s Learning Cen
35. Marian Academy
36. New Central High
37. St Joseph High
38. Dolphin Secondary
39. Tucville Secondary
40. Queen’s College
42. St Stanislaus College
43. Lodge Secondary
44. West Ruimveldt Sec
45. Freeburg Secondary
46. St Winefride Secondary
47. St John’s College
48. Queenstown Sec
