Female International football tournament set to sizzle

Dec 15, 2009 Sports

Guyana, US-based Guyanese teams to face Suriname; Dawn of a new era – Klass

Colin Baker (4th right) makes a point during yesterday’s presser. Others in photo from right; Tony De Rosario, Rohan Narine, Mark Rodrigues, Colin Klass, Vanessa Dickenson, Wayne Dover and Lawrence Griffith.

By Franklin Wilson
Female football is set for a big boost when the Guyana Football Federation kicks off what is expected to be a thrilling tournament featuring the National team, Guyana/USA based and Suriname from Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
In unveiling their plans yesterday at a press conference at the GFF Headquarters, GFF boss Colin Klass, Female Programme Director in the USA Colin Baker, Technical Director Mark Rodrigues along with Coaches Rohan Narine, Tony De Rosario and Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover, were all in unison that the ultimate aim is to have the strongest possible Guyana team to compete at International Tournaments.
Klass said the that the GFF has promised that this year they will really activate women’s football and they have kept their promise with the completion of the Woman’s National League which was run simultaneously with the National Super League – Georgetown coming out champions with Lethem finishing as runners up.
“For us it has been a great start with quite a lot of work being put into its’ and we would like to express our thanks to all the associations and women’s teams who put their shoulders to the wheel to ensure its accomplishment.” Klass also noted that the Women’s League like the Men’s League, is here to stay.
The International tournament will kick off on Thursday with the local National team taking on their counterparts from the United States. The US team will feature exciting college players born to Guyanese parents. The Suriname and U.S teams will arrive tomorrow at varying times.
Games on the 18th (Enmore) and 19th (MSC ground) will form part of the undercard at the Kashif and Shanghai tournament.
Programme Director Colin Baker who is also President of the Miami based Guyana Sports Development Foundation (GSDF) which has been of great help to the development of the sport here over the years, in his remarks said words cannot describe his feelings about what is about to unfold.
“We are very excited in having the women’s programme taken to a next level and I must say first and foremost that women’s football is here, and it is in a big way.”
Baker challenged the media to do their bit with regard to disseminating the information to make persons aware of what is about to unfold. He noted that many persons here and in the Diaspora are not aware of what is happening in the female version of the game.
The aim he said is to have the USA and local teams work hand in hand in moving the game forward.
“Coaching clinics and whatever it takes to bring the game to a level that we have never seen before. I feel strongly that we will in the near future be able to compete with any of the top Caribbean countries. We will be developing plans to raise the level of the local game, working along with the coaches and players to make this possible.”
The GSDF Baker said has been and is committed to making this aim reality even with the limited resources available. He {Baker} also made a call for Government, the Corporate Community and Guyanese as a whole to support their initiative and programme.
A robust programme known as the ‘Satellite Camps’ will be carried out with the aim of scouting potential players to compliment the overall programme. “We are doing this together; there is a committee that has been launched featuring overseas and local based personnel to determine the future of women’s soccer.”
Technical Director Mark Rodrigues, who also played locally, informed that the drive to move women’s football forward has been in motion about two years. He has put together a vision and success plan to achieve this which has been discussed in-depth among football buffs in the Diaspora and locally.
“The next step was then surrounding myself with the best possible people that can make this a success.”
Rodrigues stressed the need for persons coming from various areas of the football world to work together and to get things done. He noted that GFF boss Colin Klass has been very supportive.
The overseas programme was launched in Turks and Caicos a few months ago (June) when Guyana competed against their Under-20 and Senior Female teams. Ever since, the National League has been completed and a national team selected and is now encamped with Wayne Dover as the Head Coach.
Rodrigues pointed out that the female team is privileged to have Dover at the helm as he noted the high level of discipline and commitment being displayed by the ladies.
Tony De Rosario it was reported is in charge of the Satellite Camps in Canada and has been doing an excellent job in helping to identify and prepare players from the Toronto region.
A number of other Satellite coaches are working in the programme including Florida and he will be arriving with the players tomorrow.
Rodrigues stated that ever since the Turks and Caicos sojourn, the Satellite programme has increased by over 200%. “We are now even working on players of Guyanese descent from England, some are even in the English National pool so we are looking at high level players.”
Rodrigues said he wanted to get over the fact that the purpose of doing this is to help in the development of local players. “I was born, raised and played football in Guyana, I left here with so much pride and I still wear that pride on my shoulder. That molded me to the man that I am and to have the ability to come back here with the skills set that I have developed to help and I am here to stay.”
The goal he said is also to help the local females to achieve college scholarships in the USA to play soccer at a higher level and many other areas. “So the USA players are very excited about being here and they have showed their passion and belief in what it is that we are doing in terms of helping women’s football in Guyana by making a special effort to gather equipment to help the players.”
Coach Dover in brief remarks said he was elated to have been offered the chance to coach the women whom he described as a talented and disciplined group.
“I am happy to be a part of the staff and programme knowing that the emphasis and future of football as FIFA President Sepp Blatter said is feminine.”
Preparation to date Dover said has been progressing smoothly and his charges are confident that they will do well. They played and did well against a male Under-15 team where the players demonstrated high level of understanding in executing what they have learnt in training. They will face the GFC Under-15’s this afternoon from 17:00hrs.
Meanwhile, the visiting Coaches led by Rodrigues ran a coaching clinic for East Coast females on Sunday last and will conduct a similar programme on Thursday from 15:00 – 17:00hrs at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
President of the National Association of Women’s Football Vanessa Dickenson said this is a great moment for the game in Guyana and is urging all and sundry to support the games at the various venues commencing on Thursday at the National Stadium.