Timely and necessary intervention

THE DECISION OF the female committee of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, to initiate a mentorship programme for national female footballers between the ages of 14 and 20, must be welcomed.

Those who are following through on the plans to execute such a programme, must be commended.

As outlined, the aims of the programme are to encourage the development of inter-personal relationship, change players’ outlook on life, increase self confidence, encourage community awareness and involvement, as well as the teaching of valuable life skills and enhance the attitude of the young women as it relates to communication and interaction among their peers and adults.

Clearly, these objectives are direct responses to observations made from interactions with the players, who are actually the mentees.

Therefore, apart from addressing some of the challenges faced by the national players at this critical juncture of their personal development, the mentorship programme explains a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities that those in the leadership of our football, have , and their willingness to tick the boxes.

This is not to say that the mentorship programme, when fully in flight, everything else would fall into place, and women’s football will see a take-off.

Clearly though, any such programme which seeks to assist female footballers, or anyone for that matter, augurs well for national development.

This, as sports, with all its good intentions, has inherit issues from the homes and the wider communities, which if not checked in a timely and effective manner, infiltrate the social fabric of our country.

And, football was hit a death blow last December, when a young goalkeeper was deemed to have taken his own life, by way of hanging.

Whatever the circumstances which may have led the young man to commit suicide, further fuels the need to have that social safety net and that listening ear and an eye of surveillance for our young sportsmen and women.

Therefore, whilst the undertaking of the women’s committee of the SVGFF to be engaged in a mentorship programme, there are sufficient indicators that other organisations need to follow suit.

Stories flood the ears of the many challenges that organisations are encountering with players

who are lacking some upbringing and who simply need someone to hear their plight and is willing to act.

Often times, the hurting players are cast aside, and are deemed “rude” and “ill- disciplined”.

As a consequence, when many of these affected youngsters act out their inner emotions, the image of the respective sporting disciplines is affected.

Again, this is not to say that structured mentorship programmes would obliterate these issues, as there are always other variables which may infringe on the corrective measures.

It may not have to be on the large scale as is the case of the national football entity, but even at the community sports level, conscious efforts must be made to have father and mother figures engage their charges in conversation which develop rapport.

The onus is too on the various coaches to befriend their players, work closely with the homes and the schools, so as to ensure that holistic development.

Extracting players’ talent must be reciprocated by that willingness to go the extra mile and find ways of having our young sportsmen and women honing their skills in an environment which is all supportive.

For too long, players have either lost their way in sports or fell through societal cracks, as there was no support system in place to monitor, more so, address behavioural changes.

It hence becomes a winwin situation for all, as the coaches’ job becomes easier with that understanding, so too would be the players’ outlook towards the sport and life as a whole.

The data is there to dictate the need for mentorship of our young sportsmen and women.