The more than 100-year-old Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), which incorporates high school principals in the planning and execution of schools’ sports in Jamaica, has an enviable record when it comes to getting the job done.

But even for ISSA, the upcoming task of safely and successfully executing the first schoolboy football season since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 is extremely challenging.

As is well established, most sports — horse racing being the most notable exception — were shut down last year as fears escalated about the risk of spreading the virus.

The closure of face-to-face school since March of last year also meant no school sports.

Then, amid a relative lull in COVID-19 infections early this year, limited physical school resumed and permission came for development meets and ultimately the iconic boys’ and girls’ athletics championships. Indeed, those events provided a guiding light for other athletic meets, including the national trials which followed — preparatory to the Olympic Games in mid-year.

As most Jamaicans know, schoolboy football usually begins in September in tandem with the return to school following the summer break.

However, the surge of COVID-19 cases driven by the Delta variant in July, August, and September put paid to plans for resumption of limited face-to-face school two months ago. It also torpedoed talk of schoolboy football in October.

Now, another lull in virus spread has allowed the authorities to permit face-to-face to classes on a limited basis starting Monday — in line with the now often-repeated line that Jamaicans must learn to live with COVID-19.

And, as part of that process, ISSA is moving with alacrity to have its football season begin next Friday — without spectators, and with players, coaches, other team staff and match officials having had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Readers will recall that glitches in the supply of the Pfizer vaccine, which is recommended for teenagers, has been a hindrance, but we are told that hurdle is now being cleared.

We hear that ISSA could yet briefly delay the start of the season, if it is determined over the next few days that not enough players have had at least first dosage.

Head of ISSA, Mr Keith Wellington, who is also principal of St Elizabeth Technical High School, has made it clear that vaccinations are compulsory for all participants, since the only other option would be unaffordable mass testing.

Reports say it cost organisers of the local football premier league more than $100 million for regular testing of players, coaches, and others, a few months ago.

There is a lot we still do not know about the upcoming schoolboy football season which we believe will be televised and widely streamed. We expect to hear more over the next few days. Challenging though it is, this project is important not only for the morale of our schools, students, and wider society, but for the development of young, talented footballers who have every right to dream of a successful professional career.

History shows that ISSA is well-equipped to pull this off. We wish the association well.