Latest update March 21st, 2025 7:03 AM
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Scotia Bank/DDL continues sponsorship of U15 School Football Programme
GFF President, Franklyn Wilson (2nd right) displays the sponsorship cheque with John Yates (2nd left), with assistance from Alexis Langhorne (3rd right), Jennifer Cipriani (extreme left) and Lindlie Langhorne (extreme right). The others are participants of the course
Shrewd thinking, dedication and commitment are important variables towards the success of any sports initiative but unfortunately, could dwindle to naught in the absence of adequate funding. Undoubtedly, hard cash is the oxygen of any credible sports programme, a fact that has seeped into the psyche of local sports administrators.
The administrators of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation (GSDF), being cognizant of this, had approached administrators of the Scotia Bank and the Demerara Distillers Ltd, and those administrators, in turn, have acquiesced to tangible inputs to facilitate the successful staging of the 2013 Scotiabank/Pepsi U15 School Football Programme and yesterday morning, representatives of those institutions officially handed over similar cheques to the tune M$1.9 each to the organizers when the programme was launched yesterday morning at the Ministry of Education Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue.
DDL Marketing Executive, Alexis Langhorne reiterated her company’s commitment towards the development of the sport even as she wished the organizers well. Her sentiments were echoed by Marketing Representative (Scotia Bank), Jennifer Cipriani who underpinned the focus of the programme as developmental to youths. She stressed that the aim of the initiative was centered on the all round development of young people.
Mr. Lindlie Langhorne represented the Ministry of Education and expounded on the need to move past the station of passive thinking. “Unless thinkers think and doers do, progress would just be another word in our vocabulary,” he said while extending gratitude to the major sponsors for supporting the programme.
President of the Guyana Football Federation ag (GFF), Franklyn Wilson feels that the venture is commendable and is the catalyst to the revival of the sport in the schools while GSDF Local Administrative Coordinator, John Yates said that he feel indebted to the sponsors for their integral input. He also voiced the hope that next year’s programme attracts a larger cheque which in turn will facilitate a more-broad based programme.
Organizing Secretary (GSDF), Andrea Fredericks delivered the vote of thanks and heaped praises on coordinator, Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith whose exemplary input has been responsible for the timely launching of the programme.
This marks the 3rd year of activities and 48 teams from 24 schools will vie for honours after the GSDF have decided to expand the programme, drafting in participants from New Amsterdam and Linden. Twelve schools will be drawn from Georgetown while Linden and Berbice will field 6 teams each.
Activities got underway yesterday with a coaching course for Physical Education teachers in Georgetown at the venue of the launch and organizers are also scheduled to visit Region 6 for a coaching course at the New Amsterdam Prison Sports Club, New Amsterdam, today and tomorrow before traveling to Linden for a similar course at the Wisburg Secondary School on Thursday 21 and Friday 22. Similar exercises will also be conducted in Berbice today and Thursday.
During this time there will be donations of equipment to the schools including coaching DVDs, course booklets, footballs, carrying bag, football pumps and needles among other paraphernalia.
The initiative has been of immense benefit to local players and after the completion of last year’s programme an all star female team was placed on a 6 months continuous training session. Consequently, that team participated in an U-21 female football competition and defeated two established teams out of Berbice and West Demerara. Further, the benefits of the programme was underlined when some of the participants were selected to represent Guyana in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Cup U-17 Qualifiers; the National U-17 squad won the group play off in Guyana and proceeded to Jamaica for the next round.
Organizers will also stage a referees’ training course for students who may find this beneficial in the imminent CXC Exams slated for Monday March 4, 5, and 6 in Region 4, 6 and 10.
Plans are also being finalized for a goal keeping coaching clinic to be facilitated by USA based coach, Mark Woseley on Sunday February 24. The respective area coordinators are – Lawrence Griffith (Georgetown), Colin Bowry (New Amsterdam) and Rollin Tappin (Linden). USA certified coach, Stanley Harmon, will also act as facilitator.
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