One of the key components of building a successful career in any sport is a proper diet and good nutrition.

Malta and the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) during their recent event, "Kickin' Cuisine to Fuel Your Game," a cooking programme held at The Summit in Kingston on Saturday, June 29, made their attempt to impart this wisdom on some of the country’s young footballers.

As part of the Malta Sparks campaign, this initiative is geared towards the development of tactical, nutritional, holistic, and psychological skills of U-17 footballers from the prominent teams including Arnett Gardens, Waterhouse, Portmore United, and Harbour View under the Professional Football Jamaica Limited League's Elite Development programme.

The event highlighted Neville Bell as Malta’s new Brand Ambassador, offered sports nutrition tips from Rohan Francis, and featured interactive Malta Shake and Go as well as a meal preparation segment by Chef Asia Thomas.

The day ended with a lively dance-off and trivia competition for exciting Malta prizes.

The Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) has collaborated with Malta to introduce the Elite Under-17 Development Football Programme, a junior-level training initiative offering opportunities for young talents to further ignite passion for the sport and channel true Jamaican energy.

Targeting youths under seventeen years of age, this programme aims to provide a pathway for young players to progress into local, international or regional clubs and academies. The announcement was made on Wednesday, May 8, during the official media launch at the JFF Captain Horace Burrell Center of Excellence at The University of the West Indies. 

In his remarks, CEO of the PFJL, Owen Hill, expressed, “We are excited about the Elite Under-17 Development Football Programme prospects and look forward to developing our local talent and, by extension, allowing the players to be globally adaptable. To our partner Malta, we salute you for stepping up to the plate, believing in us and most importantly, believing in our youth. The team at Professional Football Jamaica Limited promises you that we will make this programme worth your while. On behalf of the PFJL board of directors and management, I thank you for being here and for your continued support as we continue to raise the bar.” 

Through this programme, clubs will have the opportunity to participate using their best junior players between the ages of 15 to 17 and will involve four Premier League Clubs:  Arnett Gardens, Waterhouse, Portmore United, and Harbour View.

PFJL, in collaboration with these clubs, will administer three football festivals where teams will compete in an equitable format to determine the champions on the day. The games will follow traditional football competition rules and will be hosted over three consecutive months, starting on May 25 and ending on July 27, where the teams will compete against each other. 

The Elite Under-17 Development Football Programme aims to take a multifaceted approach by not only developing the technical skills and abilities of Jamaica’s youth footballers but also strengthen the local capacity for elite youth coaches through mandatory coaching education and football education. Coaches are required to be enrolled in a B Licensed Programme or higher to ensure that players are trained effectively. Moreover, individual clubs and player development plans will be implemented with structured coaching education. 

"We are happy to partner with Professional Football Jamaica Limited for the launch of the Elite Under-17 Development Football Programme, which is a part of our pilot programme, Malta Sparks. Through this campaign, we aim to bring local caregivers together, energise them, celebrate with them, strengthen their bonds within the community, and foster a profound sense of belonging. In collaboration with PFJL, we have a lineup of impactful workshops led by experts to equip players and their parents/guardians with the essential tools to improve their personal and social development skills. We look forward to the success stories and opportunities that will unfold for the talented young footballers participating in the Elite Under-17 Development Football Programme,” expressed Malta Brand Manager, Jodi-Ann Campbell.

Professional Football Jamaica promises a booming start to the 2022-23 Jamaica Premier League season as powerhouse rivals Waterhouse and Arnett Gardens are set to clas in the "BOOM El Clasico".

The "BOOM El Clasico" will see the JPL giants square off over two legs of football slated for October 10 and 17 at Waterhouse Stadium and Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, respectively.

Each club will be allowed to field celebrities as a nod to their communities that have produced some musical giants over decades. Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse's long-standing rivalry attracts the largest spectator following in local football.

Title sponsors BOOM Energy Drink have sweetened the pot with a winner-takes-all prize payout of $JMD1M.

Brand Manager Keteisha McHugh looks forward to welcoming fans,

"BOOM has taken the market by storm, becoming the number-one energy drink in Jamaica. We are the life of any party, so we look forward to bringing our usual high energy to match the excitement of Waterhouse and Arnett Gardens in October. Come October 17, we will find out who's ‘Badda dan’ so come mek we BOOM it up!" said BOOM Brand Manager Keteisha McHugh.

In reacting to the announcement PFJL Chairman Chris Williams said the partnership reflects the significant growth of Jamaica’s football.

“Football is booming in Jamaica,” he said.

“BOOM has joined with the PFJL in continuing the tremendous growth of professional football in Jamaica. BOOM will be answering the question we all have. Who is better; Arnett or Waterhouse? We expect a massive turnout, great football and loads of excitement from this intense rivalry.”

The Jamaica Premier League 2021-22 season culminated last Sunday with newly-crowned champions Harbour View getting the better of Dunbeholden 6-5 on penalties to secure their fifth premier league title.