MONTEGO BAY, St James – When the Mount Alvernia High School tennis team competes in their next competition they will be outfitted in brand new gear donated by the Howard Ward Benefit Foundation.

The Montego Bay-based school, which won the girls’ Under-14 section of the All-Island High School Tennis Championships held in Kingston last year, is preparing for another event and the foundation responded to their request with gear valued at more than $200,000.

The presentation was recently made at the school’s auditorium. As Suzette Brown, who represented the Howard Ward Benefit Foundation, noted during the brief ceremony, they “believe that sports play an integral part in a child’s development through boosting self-esteem, fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills as well as maintaining physical health.”

Ward’s founder, after whom the foundation was named, is a tennis player. He opted to assist one of the “minority sports” in the island that does not get a lot of support from sponsors.

“It is our mission to provide resources and assistance in building thriving communities, through education, sports and support,” Brown said of the decision to support the Mount Alvernia team.