The Flanker Community Netball League tipped off in fine style recently with Providence winning the Open Rally by defeating Capitol Hill in the finals at the community multipurpose court.

The competition — which is organised by the Social Development Commission (SDC) and sponsored by Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean, Tropical Bliss and Councillor Charles Sinclair — attracted scores of residents from Flanker and surrounding communities who enthusiastically cheered on their favorite teams.

Nine teams, divided into two zones, are participating in the competition which will see matches on Saturdays and Sundays, with the grand finals set for August 20. Zone A comprises: Trend Setters B, Striker United, Seaview Blazers, Sandals and Flanker United, while in Zone B are Trend Setter A, Red Ground, Pele Drive and Church Hill Knights.

The tournament is a part of the joint Young Women Empowerment initiative actioned by the SDC and Sandals resorts in the Montego Bay region to bring about melioration for young women within the area.

Councillor Charles Sinclair, who is also a sponsor, spoke highly about the role the competition played in the community. “After a two-year lull due to the pandemic, we look forward to the netball league going off quite well, especially by working with stakeholders like Sandals which is no stranger to assisting in the community, and now with the SDC and the Young Women Empowerment Initiative the opportunities are limitless,” the councillor noted.

“Sandals is proud to be the main sponsors of something that is as transformational and as entertaining as sports,” said Sandals Montego Bay’s General Manager Christopher Elliott in his welcome address at the rally. “What we’re doing here with the SDC and the community is important to us as it represents our ongoing commitment to community involvement and support and we look forward to seeing how far we can go and how many lives we can touch,” he further observed.

Flanker resident and competition organiser Christopher Harris expressed his gratitude to the sponsors for helping to bring his dream into fruition. “My goal is to see us use the netball competition for peace and unity in Flanker and we see here today by the turnout that this can really help to bring about change.”

“The young ladies are also excited about what this league could mean for them because, with the Young Women Empowerment Initiative and partnership from Sandals and SDC, they can get training from the resort as a part of their continued advancement which is why this is so important to us here,” Harris continued.

Community Development Officer Ricardo Campbell also said that “we have a lot more in store for the community of Flanker and not just in sports, we will be doing mentorship sessions and community drives to help bring about real change in this community with the continuous support from Sandals.”

On Saturday, July 23, Seaview Blazers go up against Trend Setter B in the opening match at 4:00 pm while in the feature Pele Drive oppose Church Hill Knights. On Sunday, Sandals play Seaview Blazers at 4:00 pm and Trend Setter A battle Red Ground at 5:00 pm.