Returning football to Kwakwani…
There has been overwhelming response to a call from Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde for residents to volunteer to serve on an ad hoc committee that would be responsible for resuscitating football in the mining community of Kwakwani, in Region 10.
Members were selected on the spot as soon as the call was made last Sunday, when the GFF hierarchy made a historic visit to that community at the request of longstanding Football Coach Jimmy McLean, who has been making the rounds in the community to keep the game alive by working with the youths.
In a specially arranged meeting between the GFF hierarchy and members of the community, held at the Workers Club under the theme “bringing football back to life,” the volunteers selected to serve on the Kwakwani Ad Hoc Football Committee were: Stephon Profitt, Dion Ross, Dean Gordon, Harlan Bethune, Winslow McCurdy, Hubert Williams, Dereck Daniels, Anne Gordon, Royston Hetemyer, Carl Pitt and Jimmy McLean.
There was also an interactive session with residents, who freely aired their concerns on how the game can be revived, and reminisced on the glory days of football at Kwakwani. They noted that the community is blessed with talented players, not only in football, but in other sporting disciplines.
Among the concerns residents raised were: the need for an organisational structure to facilitate proper planning, leading to holistic development of the game; the need for lights to be installed at the community ground, as residents work mostly 12-hour shifts; the need for the ground to be fenced; coaching assistance for Jimmy McLean, who has been the torch-bearer holding the youths together and keeping them focused; the need for leaders of the community to step up for the sake of the youths; equipment assistance; and for the game to be placed back in the schools’ curriculum.
Responding to those concerns, President Forde committed the GFF to working closely with the community to ensure that the game is “played like never before”. He noted that for the proposed goals to be achieved, maximum support would be needed from community members.
Forde’s proposals included: the formation of an ad hoc committee that would be active for one year; training of coaches and referees; organising competitions in conjunction with the ad hoc committee; and commencement of player registration.
While thanking the community for rising to the occasion and giving of its time, Forde promised that the GFF would officially communicate with committee members, and guide them accordingly in this new endeavour.
The committee is scheduled to meet this week to elect a chairperson and secretary.
Among the members of the GFF hierarchy who attended this meeting were Upper Demerara Football Association President Terrence Mitchell, under whose Association Kwakwani falls; GFF Youth Development Officer Brian Joseph, GFF Director of Coaching Wilson Toledo, and GFF Referees Technical Instructor/Assessor, Abdullah Hamid.
