By Tiadi Blair
The Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) is seeking to recruit a number of young players to the sport.

Dr. Frank Anthony

The association also plans to join hands with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to introduce the game as a competitive sport amongst schoolchildren in secondary schools.

This was disclosed by President of GASP, Moen Gafoor, who  said that a proposal, made to the ministry by the association,  was now in the infant stage of planning.

Gafoor said that Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony was enthusiastic about the venture which was put forward to him some time ago.

“We are in the process of putting forward a proposal to the minister and we have made a commitment.

“We would like to honour the commitment by setting up clubs in the schools who will then have competitions with other secondary schools,” Gafoor said.

Abigail Mc Donald

He opined that young players like Abigail McDonald, who is also the current national scrabble champion, are role models for youngsters and can be marketed in order to bring more persons into the sport.

Gafoor added that although plans have not yet been finalized, a few persons from within the association will be selected to train teachers and students on the correct way to play scrabble.

“We want to utilize young players for this proposal we are working on. They are likely to attract younger players so we hope this will work to our advantage,” he said.

Gafoor said it was his intention to take scrabble competitions to schools as far as Berbice and said Floyd Carmichael is his point-man in that respect. Gafoor said when all the pieces are in place inter school competitions can be played across the country eventually leading to competition at the national level.

Meanwhile, last Sunday, former national champion, Fred Collins, surpassed his rivals to win the Fantasy Nails Tournament held at the  Malteenoes Sports club.

It was Collins’s third lien on the trophy.

Second place went to Carmichael while Rudolph Michaels was third.

The scrabble players will next take part in the Earl Vigilance memorial tournament in  Linden on June 28.

The tournament will take place at the LEAP building and commences at 9pm.

Around 20 players are expected to take part.

Gafoor is the defending champion and has one lien on the trophy.