Four Young Footballers From Jamaica Chosen For The Digicel Academy

One week of training under the leadership of top Barclays Premier League coaches

After two days of intense training as part of the Digicel Kick Starts Clinics in Jamaica, Head Coach and England and Liverpool legend, John Barnes, has chosen the four aspiring young footballers who will take up a place in the Digicel Academy, taking place in Trinidad from Tuesday 1st to Monday 7th November.
 
Steffan Logan, Chevaun Crooks, Kadeem Williams and Kevon Deacon are the four talented youngsters who stood out from an initial group of 35 aspiring footballers to win a place in the Digicel Academy during the final leg of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics 2011, held yesterday and today at Barbican Beach, Kingston.
 
The lucky boys will now join the ‘crème de la crème’ of young footballing talent at the Digicel Academy – a week-long elite training camp, under the leadership and guidance of top Barclays Premier League coaches from Sunderland’s “Academy of Light”, Kevin Ball and Carlton Fairweather, and assisted by John Barnes.
 
Carlton Fairweather, coach at Sunderland’s “Academy of Light”, commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for these youngsters and one which they must grab with both hands. The Digicel Clinics are opening the door but it’s up to the boys to ensure they make the most of what is ahead of them”.
 
In addition, Shamar Dinnal and Dominic James were the winners of the Hot Shot contest in Jamaica, and are now in with a chance to take up the ‘wild card’ spots in the Digicel Academy.
 
Digicel Kick Start Clinics Head Coach, John Barnes, said of choosing the final four; “The quality in Jamaica proved to be as high as anywhere else in the Caribbean. Once again, it was a hard decision to make because there were at least seven outstanding players in contention for only four spots”.
 
Lucky winner, 14-year old Kadeem Williams, expressed his joy at being chosen, saying; “I feel very happy because I didn’t know I would make it as there were many other players from other schools that could have made it”.
 
Another ambitious winner, 15-year old Kevon Deacon, commented; “I feel very good because this will help to further my career to become the next Lionel Messi!”
 
The Digicel Kick Start Clinics officially began on Sunday 18th September in Haiti, and have travelled on to Panama, New York, St Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Suriname and Jamaica. The clinics will now culminate in a week long training session at the Digicel Academy in Trinidad from Tuesday November 1st to Monday November 7th.