AISK/FLOW partnership brings together regional schools in sports competition

Michele English (L) President & COO of Flow presents a donation to Brian Horvath, Principal of the American International School in Kingston (AISK) to host the SportsFeva Invitational Tournament on November 11-12 and 18-19. The presentation was made at a press conference at the school on Tuesday November 1, 2011.

Three hundred (300) students and parents representing schools from Jamaica, Aruba, The Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Curacao will compete in a series of sports competitions as part of the AISK hosted 2011 SportsFeva Invitational Tournament to be held in Kingston on November 11-12 and 18-19.  The teams will compete in football, tennis, golf and sporting clays events over the 4 days of the tournament.  The American International School of Kingston (AISK) has partnered with FLOW, Jamaica’s triple play service provider, to stage the tournament. Local schools Campion College, Immaculate Conception High School, Hillel Academy, St. Hugh’s Prep and host AISK, will compete against intramural teams from other member schools of the Caribbean Area International School Sports Association (CAISSA).

The initiative, whilst unusual at this level of competition, provides great opportunities for participating teams.  Jeanette Lewis, Public Relations Manager of Flow believes the move will provide a valuable competitive experience for secondary and preparatory school students that will assist in their athletic development.

“We believe that healthy competition at an early age builds a strong, focused and successful athlete. This is evidenced by in the many successful national athletes whose journey began very early in their development. This event provides an opportunity for Jamaican students to field competition from students at their level from different cultures, it’s a tactic used by senior athletes to compare their skills and gain insights into their sport,” she said.

Dr. Brian Horvath Head of School of AISK sees the initiative as a tactical approach to providing a wholesome education.  "AISK is becoming the premier K-12 school in the Caribbean and Central America.  So it makes sense that we've created the most ambitious high school sports event in the region.  Keep in mind that we have a one-to-one laptop program, the IB Diploma Program, and the absolutely best teachers in the Caribbean.  SportsFeva is just another example of who we are.  We want to blow everyone away with this event.  And that's the way we approach learning in general - we're not resting on our reputation or some tradition.  We are here every day, offering great experiences to not only our students, but the entire community."
AISK’s SportsFeva Invitational includes the sport of Sporting Clays among the events, giving sports enthusiasts in Jamaica exposure to a new and dynamic event. Sporting Clays, a marksman challenge, is an individual event in which clay pigeons are presented to a gunner in ways that mirror the flight pattern of game birds, or occasionally rabbits, in their natural habitats.

Lewis commented on the decision to include sporting clays, as being consistent with the move to expand the national capacity to compete at international games. “This presents our young athletes with another opportunity to represent our country in a non-traditional sport. We already have a bit of history of outstanding performances in sports where we are least expected to participate. I am pleased that AISK is actively enabling our youth in this regard,” Lewis explained.

Flow continues to demonstrate strong support for sports at the school and national levels; investing in several programmes to boost the development of young athletes. The three year partnership with the National Basketball League as has also seen a remarkable improvement in the national tournament with players benefitting significantly in addition to increasing the public’s interest in the local competition. Flow’s support of football’s National Champions’ Cup tournament marks two years of solid growth of the competition.

The triple play service provider also continues to support grass-roots football. Through collaboration with international sports cable giants ESPN, Flow kick started Whole Life Ministry’s football clinic in Jamaica, the second staging of which takes place on November 3-5 at the Greenfield Stadium, Trelawny. The event will see football greats Robbie Earl and Shaka Heslop hosting the two-day clinic to assist in strengthening the football skills of coaches and young players.

Flow/ESPN Football Clinic: Embracing growth through technology

Last November 19 and 20, a team of retired football professionals including World Cup-winning Frank Leboeuf of France, and Jamaica's Robbie Earle were led by Bernard Stewart, vice-president of ESPN Caribbean & Maritime Media to Jamaica.

The purpose of the trip was to initiate a two-day training programme for coaches and youth footballers that would allow them to develop their overall skills and facilitate a football transformation within the island. This initiative was the Flow/ESPN Football Clinic which was held at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.


The venture was the brainchild of a gathering of corporate executives, including Flow's vice-president of marketing Sharon Roper and ESPN's Totlyn Mason, director of business operations and development — both of whom have Jamaican roots and a desire to give back to the country.

With the overwhelming success of last year's event, main sponsors, telecommunications giant Flow, and the world leaders in sports coverage, ESPN Inc battled financial constraints to ensure a second staging which was held last Friday and Saturday. Totlyn explained: "The plan was to make the project a long-term investment as too often ventures like this lose the drive after a year, so we never gave up on it."

Back to support the venture was Whole Life Ministries through executive director Andre Virtue and the Western Football Confederation, who organised the technical workings of the event.

The Western Confederation, which constitutes the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St James and Trelawny, had each of these parishes providing 10 coaches and 25 youth footballers, the same format of last year's clinic. This year the training sessions were conducted by ESPN analysts Robbie Earle, Shaka Hislop and Verron Haynes, as well as Ballaz International directors Paul Alexander and Sherrick Williams.
Shaka Hislop said: "We felt it was very important to have a grassroots programme to develop the game of football. As a region we are progressing slowly, so we are just playing our part." In direct reference to this year's venture he added: "They (coaches and children alike) seem to be very excited about the clinic. The reception is much better than last year."

There was a distinct difference between last year and this year's running order and that was the introduction of the iSoccer/iFootball development programme. The programme has been around for some time, but was incorporated into the clinic by Robbie Earle following its successful execution in his youth academy in Orange County.

The programme tests players on 16 basic football skills that they participate in within a 5X5 grid before logging the results into the website online. From there, individuals and coaches can track not only their skill level and their progress, but also the statistics of persons around the world who use the programme so as to make comparisons and drive their desire to improve.

Director of sales, Steven Shows, during the demonstration session last Friday, said: "The 'i' in iSoccer stands for the individual. So the onus is upon the individual to enhance his skills (through discipline and dedication) by extracting his full potential with the use of the website."
These sentiments were backed up by Andre Virtue, who in speaking to the philosophy of the project, declared: "We are not coaching a sport, but we are developing a life through sports."

Earle, the scorer of Jamaica's first World Cup Finals goal in France in 1998, summed up the two-day event. "The second year is definitely another big step towards helping and supporting the growth of football within the island. The introduction of the iFootball element is key, as it sits perfectly between the practical football sessions and the ability to utilise the internet and technology."

As the clinic grows from strength to strength each year, these two elements will be of critical importance.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/Flow-ESPN-Football-Clinic--Embracing-growth-through-technology_10097459

ESPN, Flow Partner For Two-Day Football Clinic

More than 40 local coaches and 100 young footballers will benefit from this year's ESPN/Flow Football Clinic at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium over the next two days, with a number of the US-based sports network's on-screen personalities expected to take part.

This marks the second time that the multi-platform media outlet Flow is partnering with the globally recognised sports broadcasting giants in a football clinic, and everything is said to be in place for what is expected to be another successful staging.

Robbie Earle, the man who scored Jamaica's first goal at the FIFA World Cup Finals, when he rose highest to head a Ricardo Gardner cross in a 1-3 loss against Croatia during the 1998 finals in France; former Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and fellow ESPN commentator and Super Bowl champion Verron Hayes, will all be on hand to lend their expertise to the group today and tomorrow.

This year, the coaches and ballers will have the added benefit of the latest in I-Football technology - an Internet-based assessment tool used to measure a player's overall technical ability and identify areas of improvement.

Support Development

The clinics, presented for the first time last year by Flow and ESPN in association with Whole Life Ministries, are designed to support the development of football in Jamaica. Some of the 40 coaches and 100 young footballers who participated in 2010 will also be involved in this year's programme, as Flow and ESPN seek to build on the foundation laid in year one.

Today's clinic will focus on the coaches and will run for some five and a half hours. Also on the slate today is a demonstration of the I-Football platform, while the youngsters, age 12-15 years, will bring the weekend activities to a close tomorrow with a two-hour session.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20111104/sports/sports6.html

Red Cross/Flow Give More to Central Kingston Youths

30 children from communities of Arnold, Anderson and Rousseau Roads were feted by The Jamaica Red Cross in partnership with Flow on Saturday October 22. As part of the National Red Cross month of activities, the Kingston and St. Andrew branch created an environment of safety, security and integration at Arnold Road for children age 5-14.

The one-day Fun Camp, held under the theme "Let the Book Bugs Bite" focused on encouraging a love for reading among children. A team of Flow employees spent the day with the youths and assisted the Red Cross by providing care and entertaining them for the day. The volunteers bonded with kids through group activities as well as one-on-one interactions. Hyacinth Smith, Vice Chairman of the Jamaica Red Cross Kingston and St Andrew Branch says the event was in keeping with the mission of the Jamaica Red Cross. "In Jamaica October is celebrated as Red Cross Month, it is the month we were recognised by the Government as a national society. Today we have taken some children from inner city communities to give them a treat. This is the first time we are hosting this event, "she explained.

Employees of Flow and the Jamaica Red Cross spent quality time with children of Arnold, Anderson and Rousseau Roads communities on Saturday October 22. The Youths spent the day socialising with each other, playing games, reading books and  bonded with the Flow volunteers as well as representatives of the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Volunteers connected with the youths by reading to them and engaging in other team building games. The day's programme which was designed to encourage social interactions and an appreciation for reading resulted in many new friendships being forged through meaningful interactions.

Jeanette Lewis, Public Relations Manager of Flow praised the Red Cross on their rich culture of volunteerism and community support. "The Jamaica Red Cross has been doing good work with children of inner-city communities. We are humbled to have had the opportunity to interact with the children in this way. They received us with such warmth and connected with us immediately. It was a meaningful experience for our team members and the children who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the activities and each other," she explained.

Annette Campbell, Coordinator of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the Jamaica Red Cross Kingston and St Andrew Branch expressed pleasure at Flow's support. "I am very happy that Flow came on board with us. Our van which we use for the meals on wheels programme was stolen and Flow willingly loaned us a van indefinitely. We wanted Flow to come onboard and see what it is we are doing and get involved and I am so happy today they got to interact with the children. It is a worthwhile cause because at the end of the day you feel satisfied knowing you have reached out to the less fortunate and that's what it is all about, Volunteerism," she noted.

Jamaica Red Cross, a member of the International Movement of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, has helped those most vulnerable since 1948. The organization undertakes a range of activities aimed at the development of youth, building communities and civil awareness. The organisation also has Red Cross clubs in schools and youth groups for youth no longer in school, a youth out-of-school education program (Uplifting Adolescents Programme), parenting courses and workshops, conflict resolution and mediation training, mentoring program and anti-violence work.

Customers Win Millions with Flow this Christmas

Consumers are set to win big this holiday season, as Flow officially launches their Christmas campaign that affords opportunities for greater savings and more than $5 million in prizes for new and existing customers with the promotion “Upgrade with Flow, this Christmas.”

The customer focused promotion encourages consumers to upgrade how they watch, talk and click, this Christmas; rewards customers for their loyalty, and gives price breaks and more value to those signing up for new Flow service. All Flow customers have a chance to win a wide range of electronics items such as the coveted iPAD2, 32” LCD televisions, netbook computers and digital cameras for the duration of the promotion, October 14 to December 31, 2011.  Also, every week one lucky winner will receive a Grand Prize of a Flow home entertainment electronics make-over valued at over $150,000. The makeover will consist of a full suite of electronic products and services including a home entertainment system complete with a 32” LCD television and HD digital personal video recorder set-top box, a netbook computer and a cordless telephone.

Sharon Roper, Vice President of Marketing, says that Flow is extending these exciting offers for the holiday season to ensure that consumers can consistently get the value they seek from Flow and also to show appreciation for their loyalty.  “We know that consumers are always looking for real value and for ways to enhance and enjoy their lives. We believe that these special offers provide exactly that  for this holiday season,” Roper said. “It is also important to us that we always show appreciation to our customers, and these amazing prizes are our way of saying thank you for choosing Flow.”

New customers will receive savings of as much as $5,000 when they sign up for any Flow service during the promotion, Roper announced. Every new customer will get free installation for any standard service. In addition, customers who sign up for Flow’s Watch service get a free uprade to one premium package and will have the opportunity to enjoy viewing premium cable channels such as HBO, Watch Movies and Watch Sports for free up to January 31, 2012. New Talk customers will receive a free Caller-ID telephone and will enjoy free Flow to Flow calling plus the lowest rates in the market to call another landline.  New CLICK customers get a free wireless upgrade so that they can enjoy the freedom of being able to experience the fastest high speed internet rates from any location within the home.

“ In the spirit of the holiday season we are giving our customers the opportunity to enjoy experiences that will change their lives,”  remarked Roper. “We continuously aim to offer services that enhance the lives of Jamaicans in the ways they play, work and learn. With this Christmas offer we are also giving our customers more value, more benefits and more choices.”

For further information please contact:
Jeanette Lewis (Ms.)
FLOW
876-620-3633 (SL)
876-282-5030 (Mobile)
jlewis@flowjamaica.com