Sixty schools and approximately 480 students will participate in the newly launched Scotiabank Kids Football Championship that kicks off across the island this weekend.

The championship, which culminates on May 25, is an Under-11, mixed five-a-side football competition, which will be played over 30 minutes and must have two girls on the field at all times.

Yanique Forbes-Patrick, Scotiabank’s vice-president, public affairs and communications, said this is a historic moment not just for Scotiabank but for Jamaica.

“This is the first time Scotiabank Kids Football Championship is being held in the English-speaking Caribbean. Staring in 2014, this competition has a rich history of positively impacting the lives of youngsters across Latin America, and we anticipate it having a similar effect right here in Jamaica,” she said.

“At Scotiabank, we believe that sports is one of the most powerful tools for shaping young minds and building stronger communities,” she added.

Forbes-Patrick noted that from Scotia’s Kiddy Cricket programme to their CONACAF NextPlay Cup, they have consistently used sport as a platform to empower young people and promote positive values.

“Football is a tool for financial literacy and partnership. This championship is about more than football. We are proud to incorporate the League of Life financial literacy workshop into the tournament experience,” said Forbes-Patrick.

All the schools participating will be fitted with gears from Scotiabank, with the schools divided into the three counties–Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey.

The tournament will start on Saturday, May 3, at Manchester High School, with 18 schools from Middlesex and will continue at Wespow Park on May 10, and 11th with another 18 schools from Cornwall, then onto Kingston which will have 24 schools playing at the University of West Indies on May 17 and 18.

The three regional champions will advance to the all-island semi-final and will be joined by a fourth team, which will be selected from the overall fair play winner.

The fair play award will be presented to the team that exemplifies the tenets of true sportsmanship on and off the field.

The championship will also include a one-day workshop for players where they will gain financial skills through the League of Life programme.

There will be a board game also, similar to Monopoly, which the kids will play that teaches money management such as saving, investing and budgeting.