30th October 2013 – The Usain Bolt Foundation is proud to announce that it will sponsor the footballs for the Samsung Youth Cup, a Jamaican island wide football tournament for players aged 8-11. Full press release below –
Samsung Cup Tournament 2013 Debuts in Jamaica
Top teams from primary and preparatory schools across the island compete
on the field for the title of Samsung Cup Tournament 2013 Champion
Kingston, Jamaica – October 30, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., announces the debut of its Samsung Cup youth football tournament in Jamaica, an initiative that proves the company’s commitment to advancing sports, recreation and wellness among Jamaican youth.
The inaugural tournament will consist of 48 school teams comprised of 14 players ages eight (8) to eleven (11), for a total of 672 players. The tournament will be divided between Urban and Rural regions, each further subdivided into four zones with six teams per zone. The winning school of the Samsung Cup will receive a USD10,000 media room fully equipped by Samsung, and Rural and Urban winners will be awarded with trophies and medals.
“It is truly a privilege for Samsung to present the Samsung Cup Tournament for the first time here in Jamaica. We are very excited to support programs such as this popular youth football tournament, and to develop further initiatives that promote physical wellness and education for the youth in Jamaica. We all agree young people are our future, and Samsung is highly committed to advancing such initiatives that foster sports and recreational activities,” said Patricia Laufer, Marketing Manager, Samsung Electronics Latin America, Miami office.
“The incredible support of our local partners and of the Jamaican people has been instrumental in the staging of the Samsung Cup Tournament 2013. Jamaicans have proven their growing interest in Samsung and we want to reinforce our dedication to give back to the community for the betterment of the country and its youth,” said Ms. Laufer.
The Jamaican Football Federation has sanctioned the Samsung Cup and has recognized the tournament as a top and best-in-class youth football tournament. The Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA) and INSPORTS are the primary partners of the tournament and have both approved all the schools participating in the tournament in an effort to help create a united competition that transcends across regions and economic barriers.
Samsung is also proud to name Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner as the official Ambassador for the Samsung Cup Tournament 2013. Mr. Gardner is a former National Player who competed in the 1998 World Cup. As a product of youth football in Jamaica, he serves as a role model and inspiration to the young players who will be competing in the Samsung Cup and will be meeting with players as well as their parents to provide sound advice based on his journey.
In addition to partnering with INSPORTS, JISA as well as some key media outlets, the tournament has also received support from the Usain Bolt Foundation, which will be providing all the footballs used in the tournament. Commenting on the Foundation’s partnership with Samsung, Usain Bolt said, “As the Usain Bolt Foundation continues to focus on one of our core values, a child’s opportunity to ‘Dare to Dream’, we will seek partnerships with organizations that create initiatives that promote these values. We are delighted to be able to support the Samsung Cup, as football is a game I personally enjoy playing, and applaud them for making this investment in Jamaica’s children.”
The Samsung Cup begins in Jamaica on November 9th and will run for 5 weeks. Participating teams will be playing in Kingston at Stadium East, and in Montego Bay at West Pow Field week one and Catherine Hall weeks two and three. Participants will compete against all other teams within their zone one time, and the top two teams from each zone will advance to the quarterfinals round. Winners of each quarterfinal advance to the semifinals, with the final two teams competing for the regional championship title game on December 14, 2013 in Kingston.
“For us this is just the beginning of a long-term relationship and we hope we have proven our interest and commitment to positioning Samsung as a leader in Jamaica, both in technology and social responsibility. We look forward to continuing to expand in Jamaica and creating additional initiatives in the region, and are dedicated to being of service to our fellow Jamaicans,” said Ms. Laufer.
