CONCACAF PRESIDENT TO LAUNCH GFF-PELE ALUMNI U-15 TOURNAMENTS
9th March, 2017; Georgetown: CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani will launch Guyana’s first nationwide Under-15 tournament during his visit to Georgetown on Tuesday, 14th March, firing the starting gun on the GFF-Pele Alumni Frank Watson Memorial Intra-Association U-15 Tournament.
The Under-15 league, made possible through a five-year sponsorship with the Pele F.C. Alumni Corporation, will form an integral part of the Guyana Football Federation’s national football development programme, building on the success of the GFF-NAMILCO “Thunderbolt Flour Power” National Intra Association Under-17 League.
The launch will take place at 15:00hrs on Tuesday, 14th March at the National Gymnasium in Georgetown, featuring a match between members of the National Under-15 Boys’ Team.
“This is the next big step in the roll-out of the GFF’s comprehensive, national youth football development programme for Guyana,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “This league will lay strong foundations for the future success of the game and give more young talented players the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
“We are excited that the CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani will be here to launch this groundbreaking tournament, and we are also extremely grateful to our partners in the Pele Alumni for providing such a fantastic commitment to support youth development.”
The Pele Alumni, a not-for-profit, U.S.-based organisation of former players and executives, has provided significant financial support and football equipment for the tournament until 2021.
“The Frank Watson Memorial Tournament for intra-association Under-15 football is sponsored by the Pele F.C. Alumni Corporation, in honour of Pele’s first president,” said Pele Alumni’s John Yates. “The purpose of this tournament is to assist with the development of youth football in Guyana and the utilisation of football as a vehicle to promote education for youth footballers, both for boys and girls.”
The new intra-association tournament will involve sides from all nine GFF Member Associations playing regular competitive football, creating another layer for youth football development. It is planned to roll out across the country from next month.
The league will feed directly into the new nationwide network of GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres where young players receive professional, weekly coaching and mentorship in line with the GFF’s new national football philosophy, under the guidance of GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood.
For more information, please contact:
Debra Francis (Ms.)
Communications and Public Relations Officer
Tel: 592 227 8758 ext. 105 (o)