PHOTO CUTLINE: Minister of Sports Hon. Silveria Jacobs congratulating the young athletes.
"I’d like to extend my congratulations to the SMSEF, it’s corporate sponsors, the participating schools including teachers, coaches, parents and especially the student athletes who put their all into this school tournament. It was an intense and successful endeavour which holds great meaning to the community," Caretaker Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Hon. Silveria Jacobs said after the results on the final day of SMSEF Interscholastic Soccer Tournament 2013 which was played on June 1 at the Johan Cruijff Court in Belvedere.
The SMSEF Interscholastic soccer tournament came to a close today June 1, 2013 after 14 weeks of Saturday games. The Interscholastic soccer tournament started on January 26, 2013 with 43 teams representing 16 schools in seven categories: 7 and under, 9 and under, 11 and under, 13 and under, 15 and under, Girls and Champions League.
Prizes for the winners are: first prize winners NAf. 1.000,-, second place winners NAf. 500,- and third place winner NAf. 250,-. This wonderful gift in honor of the organization’s 20th anniversary, which is intended to keep on giving to others, was made possible by the generous donations by: PJIA, Telem, Shipwreck Shops, International Liquor and Tobacco Trading N.V., WTN TV, Nagico, The Daily Herald, GEBE, Harbour Group of Companies and Kidsworld-SXM.
"I want to commend the foundation for promoting gender equality for many years in offering our girls the opportunity to compete against each other as well as with the boys. It is also a great achievement for us to also have an adult female team which I hope will grow to be more in numbers so that our young girls can continue to compete as they grow.
"Congratulations to the champions in all age groups. The Sr. Magda School emerged as the biggest winners, while the Leonald Conner School showed the greatest improvement with finalist in every category. I am extremely proud of our student athletes and all who support them in achieving their dreams.
"Congratulations to all teams and continue to strive to be the best that you can be. I have to also commend the foundation for giving back to the schools by awarding monetary prizes to the winning schools to go towards their football programs.
"This will go a long way in promoting the sport at the ground level and thus make for better prepared athletes as they grow towards regional and international competition," Minister Hon. Silveria Jacobs said on Monday.