The man who broke St Catherine High's heart in the 2024 Manning Cup final is now the one tasked with winning it for them.
Vassell Reynolds, one of the most decorated coaches in Jamaican schoolboy football, has been appointed technical director at St Catherine High. He takes over from Anthony Patrick, who led the programme for the past five to six years. Reynolds was released by Kingston College after his three-year contract wasn't renewed following the 2025 season.
Reynolds arrives with a rare pedigree. He won the Manning Cup with KC in 2024, beating St Catherine High 3-1 in the final. He also won the daCosta Cup with Ruseas High in 2017 — a feat few coaches have pulled off. Add the Walker Cup with Wolmer's Boys in 2015 and the all-island Flow Super Cup in 2016, and you have a coach who has done it all.
"The feeling is great. The offer to take over a programme of this magnitude is a clear recognition of my hard work and accomplishments over the years," Reynolds told the Jamaica Observer.
He was quick to praise the foundation Patrick built. "St Catherine High has been one of the most consistent performers over the past five to six years at the Manning Cup level under the leadership of coach Anthony Patrick and his support staff. I'm aware of the work and structure Patrick implemented, and I'll use my experience to build on that and take the programme to the next level."
Reynolds' role is technical director, not just head coach. That means he'll oversee the entire football programme, which he says is at a rebuilding stage. "There will be a great emphasis on building a solid youth system, which will give us the kind of foundation to perform well at all levels and to aid with the transition from one age group to the other."
He plans to focus on the right mindset, skill sets, and work attitude in the players. The ultimate goal? The Manning Cup title that has eluded St Catherine High for years. "Having won the Walker Cup multiple times, the overall aim is to add more success to the school, including the elusive Manning Cup title."
Reynolds' three-year stint at KC started in 2023 when the school was in disarray. He turned things around, winning the Manning Cup and the all-island Olivier Shield in 2024. Despite that success, his contract wasn't renewed after the 2025 season.
"My three-year stint at Kingston College was a gratifying one. I've left the programme in a better position compared to where it was when I started. The results of my role as the technical director of the entire programme is there to be seen. I've created and built my own legacy at KC. I've encountered many challenges, to which I had to navigate. I'll definitely be better off for the experience. Life lessons were learnt that will help me in my future endeavours," he said.
Now he turns the page. St Catherine High has been knocking on the door for years — consistent but unable to get over the line. Reynolds knows exactly what it takes to get there. He has done it before. And he has done it against them.