The Prisons’ Behind The Walls Five-a-side Street Soccer Tournament 2023 continued on Wednesday, for the first matches since prisoner Tyson John, 35, of Calder, died after collapsing at the Belle Isle Correctional Facility last Thursday.
Wednesday’s game came after the usual prayers and instruction by game officials, which included one minute’s silence in John’s memory.
John, who took part in the competition last week Thursday, died five days before he was to be released, having served a six-year sentence for wounding with intent.
In Wednesday’s games, each player wore a piece of black cloth around their wrist in his memory.
A-Block got the better of C-Block beating them 1 goal to nil in the dying moment of the second half, with Alex Alexander scoring the lone goal.
He was judged man of the match.
This was an exciting encounter with A – Block coming into the game from a loss and C – Block coming into the game from a draw.
Today, Thursday, will see B-Block square off against D-Block.
In last week Thursday’s encounters, C-Block and D-Block played to a goalless draw, which saw each team receiving one point.
Points standing:
A-Block: 3 points and 1 goal from two games.
B-Block: 3 points and 1 goal from one game.
C-Block: 1 point and no goal from two games.
D-Block: 1 point and no goal from one game.
The tournament is being held under the theme “Free On The Inside (It’s a mind thing)” and the motto is “Don’t waste time while doing time”.
It is organised by Meldon James, a retired station sergeant of police who now volunteers some of his time to rehabilitation through sports and drama at the prisons.
While doing time, consider changing the mindset. The mind is a BATTLEFIELD. FIGHT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT . . . CHALLENGE SELF. . . CONQUER YOUR IMPERFECTIONS.