Schoolboy footballers to be allowed to play for clubs during ISSA competitions

Schoolboy footballers will be given the opportunity to represent their club teams during the 2024 ISSA Manning and DaCosta Cup season, as ISSA has made an adjustment to its rules regarding multiple representation.

In previous years players were not allowed to play club football while representing their schools.

However, for this season ISSA has said there must be six days between representing your club and playing in a ISSA-  sanctioned game.

It means then if a player features for a Premier League club on Saturday, he will not be allowed to play for his school until Saturday of the following week.

Meanwhile, in fiery presentation at the launch of the schoolboy football season on Wednesday, ISSA president Keith Wellington called on the jff to recognize the schools of players when they have been called for national duties.

Meanwhile, ISSA has made a change to its qualification methods for DaCosta Cup groups with eight teams following last season's controversial decision which saw teams not progressing from their respective zones despite ending with more points than schools above them.

This was based on ISSA’s qualification rule which saw the top four teams after 7 games playing against each other for a chance to progress, while the bottom four teams played each other once with no chance of advancing.

This season only the top four will play after round seven.

The ISSA school boy football season which kicks off September 7, will have a triple header to kick off the competition at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall.

Manning Cup champions Mona High will take on Waterford High at 2:00 pm in a Group B clash.

That will be followed by reigning DaCosta Cup champions Clarendon College against Denbigh High at 4:30.

Many time winners Cornwall College will square off with 1986 and 1988 winners Herbert Morrison at 7:00 pm.