The Guyana Sports Development Foundation, Incorporated, (GSDF) a non-profit organization based in Florida, United States of America has appointed Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith as the GSDF Representative in Guyana.
In a letter dated March 1st 2009 signed by Colin Barker who is the president of the GSDF and addressed to Griffith, it said in part, “On behalf of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation, Inc, I would like to officially appoint you as the GSDF’s Representative”.
The letter further went on to state, “As the GSDF’s Representative in Guyana, you will have the authority to liaison with the academies, sporting bodies and individual of which the GSDF has a working relationship with. As more of the GSDF’s programs are implemented you would be expected to be the point person acting on behalf of the GSDF”.
In an earlier correspondence to Griffith, dated January 12th 2009 and signed by Baker, it read in part. “The GSDF is looking for a representative in Guyana and we have been struggling to properly communicate and have our programs implemented and monitored in Guyana. I have recommended you to my board based on my interaction with you and recommendation by others.”
The GSDF is a non profit organisation which is very supportive of sports in Guyana, with its main beneficiaries being cycling, football, track & field, and tennis.
Griffith brings to the GSDF, a wealth of administrative knowledge and experience to the table. He is at present, the Competitions Coordinator of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
He commenced his involvement in Sports since 1970 as a footballer with the then Lodge Rovers Football Club. His career as an Administrator commenced in 1980 when he was elected as the Secretary of Santos Football Club, before he was elevated to the position of Secretary of the then Georgetown Football League in 1985 and then held to the post of Secretary of the then Guyana Football Association in 1989.
He commenced Refereeing in 1987 and was elected to the position of Secretary of the then Guyana Football Referees Association four years later, before being elected Secretary of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) in 1991.
In 1996 he was elected to the position of Secretary of the GFRC and in 2000, he was appointed as the Chairman of the National Referees Committee.
“Sparrow” as he is affectionately called managed a number of national football teams.
In 2002 he was the manager of the senior national team that played in Curacao and in 2005 he was the Assistant Manager when the team visited Barbados. In 2004 he managed the National Futsal team to Trinidad and Costa Rica and again in 2008 to Trinidad.
In the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 he managed the National Under-17 teams to Trinidad & Tobago.
He was also a committee member of the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana and is the GFF representative on the Guyana Olympic Association. He also held the position of President of the Guyana Netball Association and is now the Secretary of that same Organisation.
As an employee, he was the Sports Organiser of the Guyana Rice Milling and Marketing Authority and the Sports and Culture Officer of Sanata Textile Limited. He also served as the Sports Organiser of the Agri Sector Games and the Guystac Games, whilst he also held the position of Manager of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
As a referee, he was accredited as a FIFA International Assistant Referee in 1983 and was the first Guyanese to officiate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals in Miami in 2002. He also has a number of other firsts. He also officiated in Suriname, Honduras, Trinidad, Jamaica, Antigua, Mexico, Venezuela, Curacao, Costa Rica and Los Angeles, in the Shell Caribbean Cup, CONCACAF U20 World Qualifiers, Pan Am Games, CONCACAF Futsal World Cup Qualifiers, 1998 World Cup Qualifiers and Giants Cup.
After he hung up his flag internationally, he became a Referee Instructor and Assessor and attended numerous FIFA and English FA Courses in Trinidad, Bahamas and Switzerland. He has since trained in excess of 100 referees locally.
He also attended various Sports Administration Courses locally and conducts Training Courses regularly for referees.
With the foregoing experience and knowledge that is noted, the GSDF can say that they made a good choice, but only time will be the witness.
