LONG ROAD BACK
Treasure Beach coach happy for winning JPL return but still sees a difficult journey
Published:Wednesday | December 24, 2025 | 12:12 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
“It was a light in the darkness.”
Those were the words of Treasure Beach head coach Kemar Ricketts following their return to Wray and Nephew-sponsored Jamaica Premier League (JPL) action on Sunday, where they defeated Portmore United 2-0 at St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS).
Treasure Beach were severely impacted by the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall in St Elizabeth, and were unable to return to action in time for the league’s resumption.
However, the club has since found their footing and played their first game since the restart over the weekend, which Ricketts described as a major achievement.
“It’s a wonderful feeling getting back to action,” Ricketts told The Gleaner.
“It was kind of hard to be out of action and seeing the league restart without us being a part of it. We’re still a bit off, but we’re getting there.”
Ricketts said their win was made even more special as they played their first game back in front of their home fans and secured a positive result.
Treasure Beach are the first team from St Elizabeth to compete in the nation’s top-flight in more than 40 years.
He said their preparation was mostly about preparing themselves mentally to return to the field and to get past the major obstacle of the devastation in the parish.
“It was very important for us because it was a light in the darkness for all the fans who came out for us.
“Being able to give them that joy and to put smiles on their faces, it was really important for us. I think it was a 10 out of 10 performance from the boys.
“We didn’t really focus much on Portmore in terms of preparing for the game, but it was more about us. It was more of mental preparation than a physical one because after a long time out, we needed to have the team ready.”
Ricketts said despite their positive result, they are still nowhere near a return to normality as the club is still struggling to recover from the hurricane’s impact.
Much of the club’s facilities were damaged during the hurricane, including the players’ dormitories, which have been partially reopened.
He explained that they have received support from several members of the footballing community, including Mount Pleasant Football Academy, Portmore United, KemTek Development & Construction Limited, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), and Soccer Xpress.
There are still areas where they will need further support, and Ricketts has appealed to corporate Jamaica to lend a helping hand where possible.
“We have gotten support from some of our fellow teams. Mount Pleasant gave us a nice financial boost, Portmore United and KemTek came through and gave us some help, Soccer Xpress has been there for us, and the JFF sent some stuff to us as well,” he explained.
“We have been getting some support, but we’re still a bit off in terms of certain things we still need. The dorms are partially up, but the lack of consistent [electrical] current is still giving us a bit of an issue,” Ricketts continued.
“There is also the matter of food. We still don’t have an adequate supply of food for the boys, and in a time like this, prices are a bit high, so we’re still looking at corporate Jamaica to look our way and lend a hand to us because we’re trying our best to put our best foot forward.”
Ricketts also said the club faces the challenge of a hectic schedule ahead as they are to play a high volume of games in a limited window.
“It’s going to have to be about player management and rotations, and such, to manage those games because they’re going to be coming quick,” he explained.
“The recovery time is going to be short, so it’s about managing the load, and squad depth will have to play a key part in it.”
Treasure Beach’s next game will see them play Spanish Town Police, with the game set for Sunday, December 28, at the Waterhouse Stadium.