The gift of football

“A mother’s sacrifice” is an age-old tale, told over decades and described in many ways, but, at the end of it all, the story always boils down to the immeasurable love a mother possesses for her children.
There are times when the story includes financial sacrifice, struggles to put food on the table or efforts to ensure a better education. In this case, an indigenous mother’s sacrifice handed the gift of “the beautiful game” to her daughters, who in turn seized every opportunity with both hands, excelling on every stage they were afforded a spotlight.
Not many years ago, Christina Henrito, a mother hailing from Region Seven, made a difficult decision; she packed up her family and moved to the capital city, “the Coast”, as it is referred to in most indigenous villages. At that time, it was the ultimate sacrifice, switching out the ease and peace of the life she knew for the fast-paced Georgetown.
Nonetheless, the deal was done and the decision was made. But what forced the decision?
What the mother would later tell the Guyana Times Sport is that she recognised that her daughters had a very special talent on the football pitch from a very early age.

“My children were introduced to football as soon as they started to walk. Their father used to take them to the backyard to play,” Henrito reflected in a chat with this publication.
“I saw their potential in football at their first U13 school football competition, and at the U18 football competition where Leandra, at age 10, was awarded the MVP of the match. I felt that I had to do something more for them to get exposure. And of course, I felt happy for them.”
So, the decision was clear: when the coaches and scholarships came knocking, Christina answered swiftly, even if it meant leaving her beloved village life behind.
“I had to sacrifice my all to move to the coast so that they can be introduced to coaches at a higher level,” the mother noted.
In no time, both girls – Lezandra and Leandra – were offered scholarships to attend Chase’s Academic Foundation in Georgetown. The national team call-ups followed.
“I was very happy to receive a note stating that they both were selected for the national team. It was one of our dreams come true.”

However, the elder Henrito herself is no stranger to the sport, also getting into the game at a tender age and influenced by her uncle, who was a coach at the time.
“The discipline that it comprises, the energy that the players create in each game, the competition of the coaches with their statistics. And, football can take you anywhere,” Henrito expressed, sharing all the reason why she loves the game.
Now, the mother and daughters recently found themselves facing off against each other in the ongoing Women’s Division One League playoffs. While Christina suits up for Santos Football Club (FC) in the nets, both girls, Lezandra and Leandra, were on the starting XIs for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Women’s team.
The most recent meeting came on Friday last, in the Playoffs semifinals, where Police triumphed 5-0.
“Playing against them doesn’t give me any weird feelings,” Christina said about last week’s meeting. “I felt much more like we’re a happy football family. Of course, it was a competition, so there was no mother and daughters in the game, just opponents.”

In spite of all the sacrifices made, Henrito is firm in her belief that giving her daughters the gift of football was the best decision to make.
“Yes, it was a gift to them. Much more, I give all my thanks to Sir Chase for offering them the scholarship at his school; that was the first step for them, and that was the best gift they ever received. Then to introduce football on the coast was a gift from Coach Lennin Thomas, who also saw the potential in them, and of course, as a parent, it is a gift for my children.”
This weekend, the Henrito girls will go for gold alongside Police’s Women in the League playoffs final against GDF, while their mother competes in the third-place match; though not facing each other again, the mother and daughters are bound to meet on the pitch again.