Hotel women's football competition for March

RIO BUENO, Trelawny:

THE WESTERN Hotels Sports Association will for the first time since 2001, coordinate the All Island Hotels Six-a-Side Football Competition, which is scheduled to kick off on March 3 at Drax Hall in St. Ann.

The game will see Hedonism III taking on Beaches Boscobel Resort in that encounter.

Bouyed by the recent success story of the Junior Reggae Girls over the past few months and especially their fourth place finish at the Concacaf World Cup under 20 playoffs, the association decided to reintroduce this novel competition for its membership, which was last contested by 13 teams.

JOINT SPONSORSHIP

"We are currently holding discussions with two well-known companies for the possibility of joint sponsorship of the competition," stated Robert Paul, first vice-president of the association.

"We feel there will be some input from at least one of them ... a sport goods and gears supplier that is currently involved in sponsorship of a few competitions already. Even if there is no sponsorship, the competition will still be staged."

So far, 14 hotels have indicated their intention to participate. But according to Sefton Lawrence, senior competitions coordinator for the association, they are hoping and trying for at least 20 hotels by the time the fixtures are finalised on February 23.

INTERESTED HOTELS

Hotels that have expressed a firm interest are Beaches Negril, Couples Negril, Sandals Negril, Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, the Tryall Hotel, Sandals Montego Bay and Grand Lido Braco. The latter is expected to do very well and is already tipped to at least reach the semi-finals on its way to possibly winning the competition.

Interestingly enough, there is disappointment that the two best teams in Jamaica in terms of women's six-a-side football for hotels, Couples Sans Souci the reigning St.Ann/St.Mary Women's Champions and last year's beaten finalist in that competition, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort, have declined to participate.

Similarly, Hedonism II and Golf View Hotel, who had good teams several years ago, also have opted not to participate.

Hotels still interested to participate can call Mr. Lawrence at 885-9072 or Marlon Tingling at 952-5510 -5 for further information.