PRESS RELEASE
GFF GRASS ROOTS FOOTBALL FESTIVAL CONTINUES
25th November, 2016; Georgetown: The National Grass Roots Football Festival continues this weekend at the Grove Community Centre Ground, East Bank Demerara and the Queenstown Community Centre Ground, Essequibo Coast respectively from 10:00hrs to 14:00hrs.
This follows a successful start of the Festivals at the Buxton Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara on Saturday, 19th November, 2016.
The GFF’s Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, in welcoming approximately forty-six participants at the Buxton Community Centre Ground provided an overview of the programme and the day’s activities. “Today, with all the coaching staff, we will be looking at you doing lots of skills – dribbling techniques, passing techniques, one versus one, two versus two, three versus three games. The main idea is to evolve a new set of footballers. From next year, there will be a lot more youth football being played. They will be Grass Roots sessions running in your association every week. We will have football leagues for U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 players. In every Association, we’ll have an academy as well so that academy will start the base of our national youth team programme. We’ll have the best players there (in the academy), then they will go into the national youth teams. In five to ten years, I will see as many of you playing for the Golden Jaguars as possible.”
Ms. Bernice Chester, a grandmother of two of the participants, said she was very happy that the children can be at the event and be gainfully occupied in sports. “I think it will impact greatly on their lives when they leave here today.”
Another caregiver, Dellon Adams, said: “I brought five children – two girls and three boys – (who) live in my street. I just thought it was an excellent opportunity to get them exposed. They’ve never been on a field and actually kick a ball. It’s not in the school curriculum and even at the club level, not so very young; they (clubs) will look at the Under-15’s and the Under-17’s. I’m particularly happy for this opportunity to expose them.”
When asked about what her expectations of the programme, Adams said, “…a renewed love for the game. Having been given a chance to kick a ball, to listen to instructions, to do the fun things that they are doing here, I hope that revives their love for the game.”
The festival, which is held from 10:00hrs to 14:00hrs, has as its objectives the following:
- To promote and increase participation at Grass Roots level of both and female
- To introduce family members to the beautiful game in a positive environment
- To act as a catalyst for GF 2017 Grass Roots Coaching programme
The complete schedule of the remaining festivals is as follows:
- WEST DEMERARA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
DATE: 3rd December, 2016
VENUE: Leonora Stadium - BERBICE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
DATE: 12th December, 2016
VENUE: Scottsburg CCG - UPPER DEMERARA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
DATE: 12th December, 2016
VENUE: TBC by Association
- GEORGETOWNFOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
DATE: 10th December, 2016
VENUE: Police Sports Club, Eve Leary
The festivals cater for children five to twelve (12 years); parents and caregivers are encouraged to accompany their children to the festivals. Admission to all events is free.
For more information, please contact:
Debra Francis (Ms.)
Communications and Public Relations Officer
Tel: 592 227 8758 ext. 105 (o)
