FIFA/GFF COM-UNITY Seminar concludes

Aug 13, 2010 Sports

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– Hailed a success by Warner, Klass

By Rawle Welch
Chief Co-ordinator of the FIFA / Guyana Football Federation (GFF) COM-UNITY Seminar of Women’s Football Daryl Warner and Federation President Colin Klass hailed the 3-day discussions which were held at the Pegasus Hotel as a success.
Warner, who is also the FIFA Development Officer speaking with the media shortly after the conclusion of the seminar which was held to discuss the way forward for the advancement of the sport among women said that the concept is a fairly new one within the FIFA family.
According to him the idea had its genesis in 2007 and provides the opportunity for representatives of the World Governing Body to interact with all major stakeholders concerned with the development of the game under one roof.
The seminar also had in attendance FIFA’s Administrative Officer Kevin Edwards, FIFA Instructor Michael Boys, who specialises in Marketing and Communication and Anguilla Football Association Technical Director Colin Johnson, who visited in the capacity of offering technical expertise to the GFF on how to develop the women’s game here and a number of officials from the Government including Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Parliamentary Secretary Steve Ninvalle, Patron of the GFF and Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford and members of the Private Sector.
Warner, continuing his address to the 38 participants, who represented a wide spectrum of the sporting fraternity implored on them to not only show off their certificates as mere attendees, but rather go back into their respective communities, schools and organisations and impart the knowledge learned during the 3-day Course.
“I call on you all to impart the knowledge you’ve gained over the period in your communities, schools and organisations, the certificates are to be used, not only to show that you’ve attended the seminar, but to help develop the game among those the Course was intended to benefit,” Warner advised.
He said that FIFA has recognised the efforts made by the GFF, especially at the grassroots level and because of those endeavours they have been rewarded with seminars that will definitely augment their programme.
Among the topics discussed were Relationship and Management, Communications and Marketing.
Warner in responding to why he felt the seminar was a success disclosed, “It was a give and take session and participants and stakeholders had the opportunity to fully ventilate their points which showed that there is a high level of interest in women’s football.”
He added that he also had the opportunity to hold discussions with both the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport and the Education Ministry, where they agreed to get the game back into the school system.
“We’ve learnt a lot over the three days and we are going to develop a road map to go out there and decide whether we just want to be the best regionally or go even further,” Warner stated.
Boys said that the trip was a very encouraging one for him, especially since the challenges that Guyana faces mirrors that of his native country Chile.
“I can tell you that women’s football is a star product, not only in the Caribbean or South America, but all over the world and it is a new product and there is a brand new market so it is very valuable. FIFA recognises this so that is why there is this big concentration,” Boys noted.
He added that women’s football started about 80-90 years after the men, but according to him, if one is to go back and check the facts and figures, they will see that the game among women has grown at a tremendous rate.
“We are talking about a very young sport among women, but you could see how it is developing,” Boys said.
Presently there are over 45 million registered female footballers in the world and FIFA has mandated that a minimum of 15 percent of its annual grant be spent on the development of women’s football.
According to the Chief Co-ordinator Guyana has spent over 36 percent of its grant on women’s football.
Klass echoed the sentiments expressed by Warner about the seminar’s success and called on the media to help disseminate the information garnered throughout the three days.
“I call on you members of the media to help us in this collaborative process so that football among women could be further developed,” Klass urged.
He noted that the seminar was excellent, but more encouraging was the quality of the participants who came from various sporting bodies.
“We intend to continue to partner with all other associations because I feel that it is imperative to do so.”
He said that the Course has been a plus for Guyana and what FIFA has done is empower us.
Klass thanked the
Government, Private Sector and all other persons who made themselves available, adding that he thinks there is better understanding among all parties now and most of the misconceptions have been cleared.
“We believe that we’ve been able to attain the goals we set out to achieve and that will help to change the face of the sport among women now,” Klass felt.
He closed by saying that contrary to how things were done in the past, the GFF has now changed course and will soon be implementing new initiatives and innovations that will definitely break any old and existing barriers.

More support for President/Jefford Track and Field Classic

-Wartsila Operation Guyana empowers inaugural event

Wartsila Operation Guyana empowered the inaugural President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic yesterday when the power company handed over a cheque to the event Coordinators.
Contracts Manager, Arron Fraser, who won the national 800m junior championship in 1996 at Enmore, said that the contribution was a means of the company’s help with the development of sports and athletes in Guyana.
“This is just another one of our many contributions to sports. We had not done anything for track and field in a long time, so we thought it best to come on board with this project,” Fraser indicated, adding that such a meet was fitting.
As a former athlete, Fraser said that his desire is to see athletics return to its heyday and that can only happen if both the athletes and corporate community understand their roles.
Fraser believes that athletes can progress with the right attitude.
“This is a means of ensuring athletics return to its glory days when June Griffith, (James-Wren Gilkes) and Elton Jefford etc. used to compete, but the question must be asked, from an athletes perspective, what are they doing to improve times,” Fraser stated.
He indicated that he hopes that developments like the much-talked about rubber track will be able to help athletes maximise their potential. Coordinator of the meet, Edison Jefford thanked Fraser for Wartsila’s contribution and his insight on the sport.

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