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UWI JASY Camp 2012

United States Ambassador to Jamaica Pamela Bridewater and Horace L. Byfield JASY Football Program Director strike a pose with a few camp awardees

The University of the West Indies Mona Sports Department partnered with The Jamaica Advantage Thru Sports for Youth (JASY) to give back to Jamaica's youth. UWI hosted over one hundred (100) youths from varying inner city communities at the 2012 staging of the UWI/ JASY Camp. The five day camp ran from May 21 - 25, 2012 at the UWI Mona Bowl for Sporting Excellence. Children from communities such as Riverton City, Denham Town, Waterhouse, Arnett Gardens and Jones Town among others, were in attendance to benefit from the event which aims to utilize sports training to improve self esteem, physical well being, team work, personal values and cross-cultural learning to inner city youths.

 

The five day event saw campers participating in football, swimming, volleyball, tennis, basketball, cricket as well as arts and craft. Over 30 volunteers from the United States of America (USA) flew in to lend their support there were volunteers from JASY group and UWI scholarship athletes and other students alike provided their expertise to aid in the successful staging of JASY Camp 2012.

JASY was formed in October 2006 as a charitable mission outreach and youth ministry Programme by the First Presbyterian Church Pitsfield New York and The St. Patrick’s Foundation Kingston, Jamaica,

for the benefit of underprivileged children in the Kingston area. Such an initiative has brought about sponsorship from local and overseas companies. These include: The American Friends of Jamaica, The University of the West Indies Mona, Fresh Start Jamaica, L.U.V.S, Ministry of Education, St. John Fisher College, Faber, First Presbyterian St. Patrick’s Foundation, Elite Sportswear, Rochester West Indian Festival Organization,

Lackman Culinary Services and Manning Inspire.

The Camp  had a tremendous impact on both participants and volunteers alike who ventured in this philanthropic initiative. Not only were the campers able to learn basics skills in the various sporting disciplines, they did so using the University's World class facilities such as the Olympic size swimming pool, the Football field home of the KSAFA 2010 champions, the Indoor Gymnasium, the Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, and the four paved tennis courts. The participants also got the opportunity to interact with UWI athletes. National and West Indies Cricketer Chadwick Walton, Former Captain of Jamaica's Under 19 Regional Cricket team Paul Palmer, National 1500m Track and Field Representative Demarley Johnson and Long Jump sensation Leon Wray. Demarley has expressed that the camp was a good experience for him as he himself was able to overcome his timidity and realizes the importance of being a positive role model and the joy it brings to give back to others.

The University of the West Indies Sports Department takes pride in engaging in partnerships as these as pledge to continue to lend our support to initiatives that seek to make a difference through sports. Plans are already in place for the 2013 staging the JASY Camp which is set for July 1-5, 2013 and we look forward to serving the community and making the experience here at UWI Mona Bowl an even better one.

For further information please feel free to contact the UWI Mona Sports Department or visit the JASY Camp website at http://www.jasy.info/

 

UWI Mona Sports- CREATING CHAMPIONS; BUILDING LEADERS

 David McEneany- The man behind JASY

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