Mendonca pleased with opening week turnout

Oct 03, 2013 Sports

– urges teachers and parents not to be disheartened by negative results

Co-Director of the Petra Organisation, the entity responsible for organising the Courts Pee Wee Schools Football Competition, Troy Mendonca speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, said that they were extremely pleased with the turnout of teams and the noticeable improved skills of the players in this year’s event which opened on Saturday last, at the Thirst Park ground.
Mendonca, who along with Marlan Cole are the core principals of the Organisation told this newspaper that the presence of twenty-two of the twenty-four teams made it a positive start to the competition, adding that all the recruited teams would have been in attendance had it not been for a case of miscommunication between them and the other two teams that were absent.
He, however, pointed out that the situation has been rectified by his staff and he expects a full turnout out of schools at this weekend’s set of fixtures, slated for the same venue.

Members of the twenty-two teams who were present last Saturday assemble shortly after the March Past, at the Thirst Park ground.

Mendonca, while stating their approval of the support offered by the schools was quick to implore on teachers and parents about the need to be present at every fixture their schools are assigned to because the whole purpose of the tournament is to allow the students to showcase their skills, but more importantly to assist in the further development of the sport, commencing from the junior level.
“We want them to see it (tournament) as an avenue for the children to showcase their skills, but more importantly for them to be able to decide from this tender age whether or not they are interested in the sport and harbour ambitions of taking that dream to the next level and perhaps seeing it as a career,” Mendonca said.
The Co- Director urged parents, guardians and teachers to not see a loss as a reason to resign and stop attending the games, but rather as a part of their students and children’s development in learning how to cope with adverse scenarios that life will present from time to time, while also using the opportunity to hone their skills in the game.
Mendonca also expressed gratitude to the main sponsor Courts (Guyana) Inc. for their continued support for the development of sport, while Banks DIH, Head teachers, teachers, coaches, referees, parents and guardians, also came in for special mention.
Meanwhile, the competition resumes this Saturday with another twelve matches scheduled to be played.
In the first game, starting at 10:00 hrs- St. Gabriel’s takes on Stella Maris and that fixture will be played simultaneously with F.E. Pollard versus St. Angela’s. At 10:50 hrs, Ketley tackles Success, while Marian Academy collides with Sophia, before Redeemer square off against East La Penitence and South Ruimveldt engages J.E. Burnham at 11:40 hrs.
St. Sidwell’s then play Winfer Gardens and Tucville takes on St. Pius from 12:30 hrs, while North Georgetown and West Field collide and St. Margaret’s battles Enterprise with both games commencing at 13:20 hrs.
In the final pair of games, St. Ambrose takes on Green Acres and West Ruimveldt tackles St. Stephen’s at 14:10 hrs.