Prolific Excelsior High School striker and Jamaica Under-20 representative Kimarly Scott has accepted a four-year football scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the United States, where he will begin his studies this fall.Scott’s move has been welcomed by Excelsior’s head coach Keon Broderick, who said the opportunity provides the talented forward with the ideal platform to further both his academic and football ambitions.“For us at Excelsior it is always about the academic aspects,” said Broderick. “Our aim and objectives at Excelsior is to ensure that the boys get the best out of football, and we believe, based on statistics, that the boys should choose academics and school before football and it is a good way for him to do both.”“He can do his academics and he can get his qualifications and get his degree, and also do his football. I think we at Excelsior believe that this is the best pathway for a player like Kimarly,” he said. The 19-year-old Scott enjoyed an outstanding schoolboy career, scoring 20 goals to help Excelsior capture the 2025 Manning Cup and Olivier Shield titles. He also netted 29 goals in the previous Manning Cup season.Scott also impressed at the senior level with Jamaica Premier League former champions Cavalier, scoring eight goals during the campaign, including five in the play-offs.Broderick noted that Excelsior High School has always placed equal emphasis on academics and football, making the scholarship route the perfect fit for one of the country’s brightest young talents.“One of the reasons why the coach wants him at Virginia is because of the quality that he possesses, but there are a few things that he needs to work on, such as his finishing, [and] his conversion rate is something that he needs to work on,” he said.Broderick also added that Scott has the talent to eventually play professionally if he continues to develop during his college career.“I think with the quality that Kimarly has, if his conversion rate was at the level of the professionals in Europe then he would not be going to college at this stage, he would be going to Europe. And I think that is one of the areas that he is going to work on while he is in America,” he said. “There is also a pathway for him to go to the professional level in America, because, as you know, there is MLS (Major League Soccer) and USL (United Soccer League) or other levels around the world,” Broderick pointed out. He stated that Scott’s move reflects the philosophy of Excelsior’s football programme, which encourages student-athletes to use football as a pathway to higher education, while keeping the door open to a professional career.“I am very happy about this move, and this is something that we endorse at Excelsior, and this is something that we want all our players to follow and there is no better person to be doing this right now than Kimarly,” Broderick shared.