SVGFF sprouts grassroot football programme

The FIFA Grassroot and Assessment Course of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation was launched on Wednesday at the Media Centre at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.{{more}}

Course facilitator is current technical director of St Kitts and Nevis’ Football, Lenny Lake, who is part of the Grassroot football development panel.

During the official launch, Lake asked participants to bring with them the right attitude, which he said should supersede the gear they received.

In outlining the course to SEARCHLIGHT, Lake noted that the main aim of the grassroot programme is to get children involved in football from an early age.

“Basically the programme looks at reaching children who have never played football and go into areas where football does not exist and provide that opportunity, hoping that they would stay in the programme for a very long time,” Lake said.

“… It is used for them to develop better life skills, the value of team work, working together, understanding the idea of discipline, commitment and loyalty and simply to have fun,” Lake outlined.

The grassroot programme targets children from six years up, hence the one-week course will teach the coaches how their behaviour influences their charges, as well as how to organize small tournaments, including festivals.

Lake revealed that his stint here in St Vincent and the Grenadines will include an analysis of the grassroot programme.

“I will have to report back to FIFA about the grassroot programme, what can be done to better the programme, so that more children can get involved… I am here also to look at the challenges of the FA (SVGFF), the challenges of the country.

Lake, who is also a former cricketer, began active coaching in 1994, being in charge of various national teams in his native island, both at the age group and senior levels.

He has been a grassroot instructor since 2011, a post which has taken him to several parts of the Caribbean, Belize and California in the USA.

Although 25 participants had been catered for, the course was oversubscribed, but the SVGFF accommodated the overflow.

The course comes to an end next Tuesday. However, on Sunday, a grassroot football festival is planned for the Arnos Vale Playing Field. (RT)