Former Guyanese football administrator appointed to lucrative football post

Mar 31, 2013 Sports

Says he wishes to involve local players in English leagues

His love for football has seen him going beyond the call of duty to inspire other youngsters to reach for great heights. Now, after tireless efforts, Peter Barry, a former Guyanese football administrator, has joined forces with Pro-Active Sports Coaching Ltd, a relatively new company in the United Kingdom, tasked with an undertaking of identifying talent from among players and enabling them to acquire Business Technology Education Council (BTEC) Sports Qualifications – a national academic pre university qualification which allows the holder to be accepted into university through their participation in football.

Peter Barry

Mr. Barry is also tasked with assisting the players in accruing the requisite points to satisfy the criteria for Tertiary education at reputable academic entities.
The players will be accorded a 2 year scholarship where they will be taught the Sport at a high level for 4 days a week followed by lessons in the intricacies of coaching conducted by competent and qualified coaches of the European Union Football Association (UEFA). Subsequently, players may enter into the academy leagues under the auspices of the English Colleges FA League.
Kaieteur Sport spoke with Mr. Barry at his home in England and he explained that Pro-Active Sports Coaching is linked with Barcelona FC with an aim of exposing young footballers to the practical side of the sport with the primary objective of exposing them to top level football in an academy setting.
Barry is the Chief Recruitment Officer and also doubles as coach and mentor of the young ball weavers. He staunchly believes that his networking skills and vast knowledge of the sport will serve as the catalyst in the advancement of his charges.
Mr. Barry explained that at the end of the course players will receive badges and will be promoted to accredited FA coaches and referees. They will also be assigned to professional and semi-Professional clubs while receiving opportunities to recycle their skills into the academy.
“Pro-Active has already secured the requisite funding for 3 Years and with my input, could influence a plethora of players for years to come,” advanced Mr. Barry. He feels that the programme could increase the opportunities available to Guyanese in the UK especially since successful participants will be able to enter the academy free of cost.
“Successful applicants stand to benefit from the exposure that will stand them in good stead for the rigorous activities in the future while they are exposed to tactical and technical skills,” assures Mr. Barry.
The course is two dimensional and will also aspire to teach participants Catalan to enhance their communicational skill in a foreign language. These lessons will be very useful especially since participants would also interact with Spanish speakers out of Barcelona FC.
Mr. Barry, a valued member or Pro-Active, said that he is interested in promoting players from his native land. He said that he is confident that he could do this based on shrewd networking techniques. He said that he is also working behind the scenes at Banstead Athletic in the UK, restructuring and raising the profile of the club through his networks. He is optimistic that once the opportunity arises he could be an asset to local ball weavers. He feels that his time is yet to be realized and extends his services to the Guyanese national squad. He said that the players could benefit from his close work with competent European coaches.
Meanwhile, Mr. Barry said that he has been following the progress of the imminent GFF elections and wished to implore the representatives of the various sub associations to install a candidate with integrity and vision with the players’ interest at heart. He further voiced the hope that elections are conducted in an atmosphere of goodwill.