Winner Takes Away $20,000
![SLFA affiliates at the Official, launch [Photo: Anthony De Beauville]](https://www.thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/football-series.jpg)
NINETEEN district teams will take part in a novel football tournament starting April 18 with a first prize of $20,000 at stake.
The inaugural St. Lucia Football Association Super League, sponsored by Michel’s Electronics Limited and Visions Entertainment knockout tournament was launched this week.
The second and third place winners will pick up $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. Members of the public will also win big during the matches.
The announcement of the monetary incentive and prizes was received with thunderous applause on Tuesday evening at the St. Lucia Civil Association Headquarters in San Soucis where the official launch was held.
In attendance was Minister for Youth Development and Sports Shawn Edward, SLFA representatives, organizers for the tournament Visions Entrainment Secretary DidusFedee, Michel’s Electronics representative Arthur Neptune and representatives from all 19 participating districts.
Fedee noted that this project has been three years in the making, but after certain difficulties and delays the organizers had to overcome, they were now here and were looking forward to a warm and fruitful relationship with the SLFA.
Vision Entertainment Secretary DidusFedee said his organization believed that the partnership with the SLFA was “the only way that we as an organization can contribute to the development of football in St.Lucia”.
He noted that the tournament in itself was innovative. “We have balls that are specifically for the tournament, electronic referee flags with a vibrator on the arm band, the electronic substitution board. We are introducing a tournament that we hope will continue each year as we introduce new technologies and new methods into the game”.
Brand Manager for Grace Foods at Peter and Company Limited, Chenelle Bailey said her company was thrilled about this venture for multiple reasons, adding that nothing brought people together– especially young persons who may otherwise have no common denominator–like sports “and while many may debate it, a lot of people believe that no sport does that like football”
Bailey commended the organizers for the inclusion of this component, “because too often we forget, we neglect and we disregard persons who are less fortunate than we are, while we enjoy events such as this.
