The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, concluded an annual Federation of International Football (FIFA) Grassroot Programme in Region two on Friday that educated participants on how to introduce six to 12 – year olds to the game of football.
The programme which began on October 23 was conducted by FIFA Instructor, Lenny Lake, consisted of three days of training for participants and ended on Friday with a festival for the children at the Cotton Field Ground.
Part of a session at the Grassroot programme at the Anna Regina playfield
Twenty-five participants, inclusive of teachers, coaches, parents and volunteers were trained through theoretical and practical means. Theoretical training occurred at the Oasis Hotel in Queenstown Essequibo, while the practical training was at the Anna Regina playfield. Participants utilized their training on Friday from 9:00h to 12:00h at the children’s festival in the form of drilling exercises such as shooting, passing and defending revamped to appeal and intrigue children. Children from the Taymouth Manor, Queenstown and Anna Regina Primary schools took part in the festival and received tokens from Lenny Lake upon its completion.
Present throughout the programme were GFF Coaches Education and Development Officer, Lyndon France, GFF Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, GFF School’s Development Officer, Ceon Bristol, GFF Executive Member, Keith Ojeer and Lenny Lake.
In a release to the media, Greenwood stated: “The technical department has a directive to upscale and develop coaches across the country to equip Guyana with licensed coaches and we have to be visible in the outlying areas. This FIFA Grassroots Coach Education Course will develop coaches to understand age specific methodology and delivery, they were also provided with material such as textbooks, DVDs, and booklets. They will have bibs, cones and balls at the end of the course to ensure they can do this. The Essequibo and Pomeroon Football Association Executive will be tasked on completion of the course to ensure that the candidates remain in the game after the four days.”
Meanwhile France said: “It’s wonderful that the Federation could team up with the Ministry of Education in that in the school system of Guyana there’s always over two hundred thousand persons to be accessed and the children spend a lot of time in schools and with their teachers. In addition, by using teachers we are tapping into a resource that has people who have already been trained to understand child and children development, the way they socialize and their psychology. So it’s great that the Federation can work with teachers on such a project.”
