Dear Editor,
With reference to the Courts PeeWee Under 11 football competition, I would first like to commend all of the corporate sponsors who have supported this tournament. However while there may be historical reasons for the sponsors to have a hands-off approach to the tournaments that they sponsor, I strongly feel that the responsibility is theirs to ensure that tournaments bearing their logos or trademarks are best served.
Football is a ‘poor’ youths’ pastime, and a competition of this nature serves absolutely no purpose if the four top teams receive all of the prizes. There is much more to be gained if prior to the commencement of the tournament the GFA had met with the proposed teams and distributed at a minimum one football to each club or team. Talks on the importance of staying in school and living healthy lifestyles are simple projects that could have been undertaken.
Most club coaches work for free, the clubs lack resources and many of these talented youngsters have no proper football attire. I think that it’s a bit farcical for the Purchasing Director of Courts to speak of youth development when he doesn’t request that the GFA does more to assist and improve junior football in Georgetown. Sponsors do have a say; just look at the most recent situation with the eight-time swimming gold medalist’s loss of sponsorship because of the publication of a photograph that wasn’t in keeping with the company’s image.
Secondly, the tournament commenced on Saturday May 16 with several matches and there were already reported allegations of clubs playing over-age players. The clubs were each presented with fixtures, rules and regulations for the tournament, but it would appear as though the win-at-all-costs attitude of some coaches continues to haunt football, even at the junior level.
This is something that I strongly object to, as it filters down to the players as well, and the spirit of the competition is lost. Children are children, and the right attitudes should be nurtured during these formative years of their lives. It’s not about winning or losing, but how this beautiful game is played.
I sincerely hope that the organizers would investigate and let the rules of the competition be appropriately applied.
Thirdly and finally, I would like to commend the GFA for organizing the tournament for another year; however, if they would like to see youth football progress they should consider working in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth and Sport to have the sport promoted and developed in schools. It’s the best incentive to have children remain in school and acquire an education.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Thomas
