GFF’s Lyndon France for Digicel’s Kick Start Programme in T/dad

The sixth Digicel Kick Start programme organized by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in collaboration with England’s Chelsea Football Club will be officially launched on Monday in Trinidad and Tobago.

So said Digicel’s Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope at a press conference held at the Digicel Headquarters, Kingston on yesterday.
“This year we are embarking on our Kick Start grassroots football programme partnering with CFU and Chelsea Football Club,” said Hope.

The programme is designed to attract coaches from all the countries that the company has a presence.
“This year our leg will be Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados which will be hosted in Trinidad. We have solicited the assistance from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in identifying someone to represent Guyana with the person being GFF Technical Director Lyndon France who is no stranger to us especially with relations to football and youth development.

From left, Digicel’s Gavin Hope, Jacqueline James, GFF’s Franklin Wilson and Lyndon France and Digicel’s Shonette Moore at yesterday’s press conference.
From left, Digicel’s Gavin Hope, Jacqueline James, GFF’s Franklin Wilson and Lyndon France and Digicel’s Shonette Moore at yesterday’s press conference.

“It is a one-day training program and we expect Mr. France upon his return to plan a one day training course for most of the teachers in the hinterland areas namely the region one, seven and nine areas. The teachers from those areas have indicated their willingness to come to town to be a part of this programme which will be facilitated by Mr. France in conjunction with GFF. We want to give schools especially in the remote areas a greater opportunity to excel, that’s why we would have embarked on this program which is a good lead up to our tournament in June” added Hope. France, in brief remarks, thanked the company for the opportunity afforded to him while praising the initiative of the Digicel schools tournament labeling it as “something wonderful” for Guyana. “I expect to learn some new methodologies and some of the latest trends and I will be able to take that with my basic knowledge and come back to Guyana and help Digicel develop the product; its school football programme.

Acting President of the GFF, Franklin Wilson stated: “The GFF is indeed delighted to be partnering with Digicel on this venture. It is no secret that there is an abundance of talent in Guyana and compliments of Digicel, a number of those students would be given the opportunity to expose their skills at a national level.

“If we do our research we would see that the Digicel Kick Start clinics would have been playing a major role in the development of our youngsters. Congratulations to Digicel one again for seeing the need to not only have the clinics but to equip the coaches who will be part and parcel of the program to make it effective. The future of football has to be youth and Digicel is making their contribution in that regard and I want to say that I am encouraged by the continued investment and I am sure in the next five years or more we will see the Digicel Schools Championships evolving to be one of the biggest tournaments in Guyana,” said Wilson.