BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, October 25, 2024 (MMS-SKN) — In a gesture that has been hailed by Prime Minister and Minister of Health the Hon Terrance Drew and the Minister of Sports the Hon Samal Duggins, a football league featuring men over 40 years was launched on Sunday evening October 20, at the Warner Park Football Stadium in Basseterre.

The Guinness Ambassadors Football Cup 40 and Over League, which is the brainchild of Ambassadors His Excellency Kenneth Douglas (who is also the Sports Ambassador), and His Excellency Leon Natta-Nelson, has eight teams whose origins roughly match with the existing constituencies on St. Kitts. 

“A tournament like this ensures that we have social cohesion and togetherness among our population, especially our men,” said Prime Minister Drew before he kicked the first ball to declare the tournament open. 

Teams taking part in the Guinness Ambassadors Football Cup 40 and Over League are Legacy Ballers, CP Legends, Generation Ballers, Old School, Sandy Point, Capisterre, Molineux, and Monkey Hill.

“An activity like this says that the men of St. Kitts and Nevis believe in living together in harmony – an activity like this says that we are for healthy living,” said the Prime Minister who is also a medical practitioner. “A lot of our men suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes, and strokes and heart attacks, and all sorts of kidney ailments after forty, and many of whom would have been excellent sportsmen.”

Dr Drew, who turned out in a player’s uniform, lamented that because there are hardly any organised activities for men to participate in after forty, they become sedentary which leads to their gaining weight, and their pressure and blood sugar going up, and all sorts of health issues. 

The Prime Minister emphasised that Ambassadors His Excellency Leon Natta-Nelson and His Excellency Kenneth Douglas, who came up with the idea of the Over-40 football league for men, are themselves not potential sportspeople, but rather real sportsmen who would have represented St. Kitts in cricket, football and basketball. 

He thanked the sponsors of the tournament, who according to Ambassador Douglas, include Guinness through Carib Breweries, Office of the Prime Minister, Ram’s Supermarkets, and the Department of Sports. He also thanked the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association for providing referees and lines-persons, and all the players who offered to take part in the tournament.  

In attendance included the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Geoffrey Hanley, Minister of Sports, et al. the Hon Samal Duggins, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, the Hon Garth Wilkin (who also played), Minister of Sustainable Development, et al. the Hon Joyelle Clarke, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr Curtis Martin. 

While delivering remarks at the League’s opening ceremony, Minister of Sports the Hon Samal Duggins also recognised the importance of actively engaging men over 40 through sports, stressing that movement and exercise and physical activity are important for them at any age. 

“This is a showcase of the proud moment of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Hon Duggins. “We ensure that there is room for all, no matter your age, no matter the stage – we have something for everyone, and I want to thank the Ambassadors for the thoughtful thought and making sure that we are going to have something for our citizens who may not be as agile as they once were.”

He pointed out that a number of persons taking part in the league are veterans who would have spent many years in the sport, and playing at the highest level. And while lamenting that some of them would have spent some years out of the sports, he said he was excited to see them in action from that Sunday evening and onwards. 

Some of the veteran players include, but not limited to, Elvis ‘Pepe’ Isaac who would have performed duties as the Captain of the St. Kitts team in the period 1980/81, George ‘Yellow Man’ Isaac, Dwight Allers, and Jevon Francis.

According to the Tournament’s rules, all players must be 40 years or older by December 31, 2024. Each match consists of two 30-minute halves, and teams must wear matching uniforms with numbers on the back.

Group stage of the tournament will have teams playing in a round-robin format, with each team playing the other twice, where a win will earn a team three points, draw one point and nil for a loss. The top four teams from each group will advance to the Final Four knockout stage. According to the current schedule, finals will be played on Sunday December 15 at 8:00 p.m.

In the first game on Sunday evening October 20, Old School, which was captained by T’Sean Flemming, beat Generation Ballers, which was captained by Calvin Hicks assisted by Livingston Huggins, 2-0. The goals were scored by Conroy Ottley, and Sheldon Burnham. 

In the second game, CP Legends beat Legacy Ballers which was captained by Jevon Francis, 3-1. Goal scorers were Steven Clarke, Calvin Williams, and Shervin Allen for CP Legends, while the sole goal for Legacy Ballers was scored by Dwight Allers. Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon Garth Wilkin played for the Legacy Ballers of Newtown.  

On Thursday evening October 24, the two ambassadors (H.E. Natta-Nelson and H.E. Douglas) faced each other in the first game where in a tightly contested game Molineux beat Sandy Point 3-2.

Molineux, which was captained by Elroy Richard, drew the first blood when in the early minutes of the game Tyrone Jefferson scored through a penalty kick, but Sandy Point who were captained by Ambassador Kenneth Douglas made an equaliser through Kishon Liburd. The other goals were scored in the second half, with Ashton Liburd, and Jamo Liburd scoring for Molineux, and Wayne Phillip scoring for Sandy Point.

The second game saw Capisterre, which was captained by Shavon Douglas, beat Monkey Hill, which was captained by Delroy Carey, 2-0. The goals, one in each half, were both scored by former Kittitian national player, George ‘Yellow Man’ Isaac.

The Guinness Ambassadors Football Cup 40 and Over League continues on Tuesday October 29 at 7:00 p.m. where two winners from the first game, Capisterre and Old School will come up against each other in the first game, while two losers in the first game, Legacy Ballers and Generation Ballers will face each other in the second game at 8:00 p.m.