For the first time in its history, the Blackheart Football Tournament will be an under-20 competition, focusing on developing Saint Lucia’s young talent.
Since 1997, the tournament has been a senior competition. For Blackheart CEO David “Shakes” Christopher, the shift this year was necessary to showcase youth talent nationally and support grassroots programmes across the island.
“The youth have more needs than the senior players… the young players, they need the support system,” Christopher said.
This year, the tournament has raised the stakes with $60,000 in prize money. First place will receive $30,000, second place $15,000, third place $10,000, and fourth place $5,000. The winnings are expected to support youth development programmes.
But according to Christopher, the opportunity goes beyond the financial reward.
Preliminary conversations are already underway to create pathways for participating teams to compete in regional tournaments, particularly in Guyana.
“They could get a chance to knock with top players down here [Guyana]. The opportunity is there. It’s not only money but we have opportunities where they can plant their feet and make small steps into big steps,” he said.
The tournament is set to officially kick off with a warm-up festival on May 1 at the Marchand Grounds, with fixtures scheduled to run from May 16 to June 20.
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