Scotia Bank/ DDL/ GSDF Schools Football Academy launched

Feb 15, 2011 Sports

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Ten schools from Georgetown have been selected to participate in the inaugural Scotia Bank/ Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL)/ Guyana Sports Development Foundation (GSDF) Schools Football Academy which had its official launch yesterday, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
In attendance were representatives of the main sponsors Scotia Bank’s Jennifer Cipriani-Nelson, DDL’s Marlon Gravesande, Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Deputy General Secretary George Rutherford, GSDF’s Colin Baker, Head of Allied Arts Nicholas Fraser and members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) that included representatives of stakeholders Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sport and the media.
Baker speaking at the occasion gave an outline of the programme, pointing out that the whole aim is to align sports with academic performance, while helping to develop quality footballers to represent Guyana in the future.
The age range of participants will be between 10-15 years and participants must have a very consistent record of attendance at school and a satisfactory grade point average.
According to Baker, the initiative has the potential to create a positive impact in Guyana’s football that will eventually shape the game’s future here, while outstanding performers would also benefit from scholarships providing they meet the set out criterion for such.
“This Academy which started on February 7 with the staging of a two-day training workshop for teachers at the Ministry of Education Sports Ground is anticipated to run for five months with a tournament that will spread over the final two months being the culmination of the initiative,” Baker told the media.
He said that the respective winners will receive prizes at the end of the finals.
Touching on the criteria used to select the ten schools, Baker indicated that among the considerations were the school must have a sponsor, while the level of interest shown through the provision of teachers at the training workshop that was conducted by Coach Stanley Harmon was also a decisive factor.
The ten schools chosen are: Queen’s College, St. Joseph’s High, Christ Church, Tutorial, North Ruimveldt, North Georgetown, St. Stanislaus College, East Ruimveldt, Tucville and St. Rose’s High School.
Five other schools were identified as possible replacements should any of the first choice schools become unavailable and they are: St. John’s College, New Campbellville Secondary, Lodge Secondary, Richard Ishmael and Marian Academy.
Cipriani-Nelson in her remarks said her organisation was extremely pleased to be associated with the Academy which according to her was sponsored under their Bright Futures Programme.
“As you know Scotia Bank is very much involved in cricket, but has now extended its reach to include football. This programme has been in the making for sometime and I would like to say that sports have a role to play in the lives of our children.
It’s a programme that will not only focus on playing football, but will also take in the academic performance of the participants and discipline,” Cipriani-Nelson stated.
She, however, reminded that it is a Pilot Project which the Bank will evaluate at its completion.
“We trust that when all is done and we do our examination it will be to our satisfaction since we are hoping that it could eventually grow to become a National Academy which will cater for schools not only in Georgetown, but the entire country,” she challenged.
Cipriani-Nelson said the dream has become a reality for Baker and even regarded the occasion as history making.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar in his speech congratulated Baker for his persistence, adding that the Commission and Ministry were very pleased to be involved in the programme.
He, however, pointed out that they’ve noticed that the Programme consist of schools based primarily on Georgetown and sent out a challenge to both the GFF and the Organisers to have a more inclusive initiative the next time.
He added that the synergy seems to be there, while paying recognition to the role of the media.

Kumar assured the sponsors that they will the required mileage and results from the programme.
Gravesande in his comments informed that the Company’s involvement is through its Pepsi brand and they are quite happy and comfortable supporting the venture.
“The Programme I feel will ultimately help lift the standard of the game locally and we are pleased to be engaged in assisting to improve the level of the game here,” Gravesande said.
He promised the Company’s continued support for the development of sport in the country.
Rutherford, who also wore the cap of Secretary of the LOC, said that he was tremendously ecstatic that the programme has finally been able to come off the ground.
“I say this because I can recall the positive vibrations that emanated after a previous conversation with the late Minister Desrey Fox during a GFF/FIFA organised COM-Unity Seminar which was held at Cara Lodge that never bore fruit,” Rutherford reflected.
He said that what is impressive is the balance that the programme aims to strike and that is the mixture of on-field performance with that of the classroom and discipline.
He reckoned that if the initiative is provided the support it really needs them in the near future Guyana might be able to feel proud about its achievements in the sport.
“We’ve always felt that for any sport to develop it must be through the collaborative efforts of the Government, corporate community and the other stakeholders.”
He spoke of the FIFA /GFF Grassroots Initiative that is soon to be realised, informing that a large number of young footballers, parents and other related personnel will benefit from.
Rutherford disclosed that another impressive feature that is inserted in the Programme that caught their attention is the provision to train young children to become referees.
He then thanked all the sponsors and stakeholders for their support and taking the time to be present at the launching.

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