Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
Digicel’s Nationwide Schools Football officially launched
Representatives of participating schools each pose with a football for a photo op yesterday.
– Media urged to help identify the future stars
By Rawle Welch
As has become synonymous since its existence in Guyana, Digicel again demonstrated a proclivity for excellence and quality by creating an atmosphere befitting what is easily the biggest Schools Football Tournament ever to be staged in Guyana.
The nationwide competition to be played under the theme ‘Unite, Develop, Excel’ was launched yesterday at the famous Georgetown Cricket Club ground amidst an impressive backdrop and those in attendance included Digicel’s CEO Gregory Dean, Head of Marketing Jacqueline James, Head of Customer Care Sherwin Fraser, Public Relations Manager Shonnet Moore, Events & Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope, Technical Director (TD) of the Tournament Lavern Fraser-Thomas and representatives of some of the participating schools.
Dean, who delivered the feature remarks, explained how the whole concept had evolved some two years ago when the then Head of Marketing urged them to support the idea of sponsoring a nationwide schools football tournament that could aid the development of the game locally.
Dean informed that while the notion was taken on board and because the Company always wanted to include all of Guyana, they went back and forth through many exhaustive deliberations on how best it is to have every region involved when considering the country’s vastness.
“We went backward and forward with regards to our Project Document and decided to target 100 schools, but as recent as this morning (yesterday) I was told that it has surpassed that target easily,” Dean disclosed.
He indicated that the tournament is a Pilot Project and along the way they will identify which areas they need to improve on and make the necessary changes the next time.
Dean also said that the competition is not meant to replace any of the existing tournaments, but should be classified as an addition to them, adding that they intend to sustain the event.
He closed by extending thanks to the Sport and Education Ministries, the Guyana Football Federation, the Guyana Football Referees Council and the Technical team for their support.
Fraser-Thomas, who is tasked with co-ordinating all the activities related to the competition, said that the initiative is a good one for sports in Guyana, especially football. She then gave a brief outline of the competition which she stated will be played inter-regionally and the champions that emerge will then meet in the second phase for semi-final and final places.
Fraser-Thomas pointed out that only players attending school and 19 years and under will be allowed to participate in the tournament, while the GFRC is in charge of the officiating throughout the competition.
According to the TD, all schools across the length and breadth of Guyana have been invited and the deadline for submission of entries to play in the tournament is tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Moore reiterated the Company’s support for youth development, adding that this show of support is testimony to their commitment to such responsibility.
She urged the media to assist in this regard and help publicise the competition which she said could see the emergence of some of the future stars of the sport.
The tournament is anticipated to commence on June 15 and ends on July 24.
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