Edith Dalton-James on the right trajectory

Levi Monroe, head coach of schoolboy football minnows Edith Dalton-James High, has credited hard work, commitment and discipline for his team’s impressive showing in this season’s ISSA Manning Cup competition.

The Duhaney Park-based school has enjoyed one of its best seasons to date, reaching the round of 16 of the Walker Cup competition for the first time in its history before suffering a 3-0 loss to last season’s beaten finalists, Mona High.

Edith Dalton-James have also advanced to the second round of the Manning Cup following a strong first-round campaign under ISSA’s new format, which gave unseeded teams the opportunity to qualify for the second round alongside seeded schools.

The school, which entered the competition as an unseeded team, won four of its five first-round matches, with its only defeat coming against Norman Manley High.

Monroe said the team’s progress is the result of players embracing the work required to adapt to his system.

“I think it is their commitment and they are willing to put out the work and they are willing to adjust to a new system of play,” said Monroe.

He also pointed to improvements in the players’ discipline, both on and off the field, since the start of the season.

“At first there was room for improvement where their discipline is concerned but it has been getting better and I see where they are becoming more of a gentleman and a professional athlete,” he said.

Monroe said the positive changes have extended beyond football, with the players also responding well to the standards being set in their education and personal lives.

“Most of these young men are from inner-city communities and therefore their attitudes are good and, based on the respect that I have shown them, I am also getting it back and they like the way how I bring cross the coaching message and I have seen a lot of changes in how that play and how they respond, how they attend school, and they are also doing their best not just on the field but also off the field,” he said.

“The aim is just to remain focused and just play and to play every game as a final and just see how far that can take us. We are in the competition to build for next season,” Monroe added.

Monroe also noted that the Edith Dalton-James squad is particularly young, with several players still eligible for under-16 competition and others having another year or two remaining at the school.

“This a very young team because a couple of them can play in the under-16 competition this season and some of them still have another year or two remaining in school,” Monroe said.

He highlighted that the team’s performances have resulted in growing support for the programme within the school community.

“Support is getting better and it has been improving because, since we have been winning, the support has been growing and more persons have been coming on board,” he said.