FIVE young St. Lucian footballers have received assistance from the government of St. Lucia to travel to New Jersey to test for football scholarships.
They are – Alton Richards, Nyron Winter, Anton Paul, Shadrack Henry and KenhilPolius.
Speaking at a presentation ceremony at the Blue Coral Mall for the athletes Monday, acting Sports Scholarship coordinator in the Ministry for Youth Development and Sports Antonius Calderon expressed the hope that the players would use that platform to extend their football careers and go on to secure scholarships.
“The Ministry has always empathized in getting our young players to further their education through sports and today is no exception. We wish them well as they pursue their dreams”, he said..
Minister for Youth and Sports Shawn Edward said that if after arriving in the U.S, the footballers impress sufficiently they will win themselves scholarships.
He added: “This is something that we welcome in the Ministry for Youth Development and Sports. It is part of our policy to provide avenues for young St. Lucians to further develop their talents beyond the shores of our country”.
Edward said part of the mandate of the Sports Scholarship Desk in his Ministry is to go beyond the shores of St. Lucia and find opportunities for young St. Lucians who are excelling at sports and try and get them places at universities and colleges that will facilitate their overall academic development as well as the sporting discipline they choose.
He added: “We are happy to have been able to assist some of our young footballers, who will be travelling to the USA where they will be engaged in two days of trials, basically, trying to impress the coaches and scouts up there. They will be attending trials at Bryant and Stratton College in New Jersey. We are hoping once they get there and give a good account of themselves, they will be offered scholarships to stay on. And when they do stay on, whatever they do in New Jersey will be seen as a marketing exercise so to speak for other St. Lucians, who have the desires, the hopes, the dreams and aspirations of themselves of journeying to the United States to take up football scholarships”.
He told the five footballers that the government had gone out of its way to get the necessary resources to facilitate their travel to the U.S. and the Ministry had done the best that it could have done in the circumstances.
Edward said: “We are hoping that you appreciate the opportunity for what it is and you will go there and make us proud. This is not about you anymore, you will be representing the aspirations of your nation and it’s a tremendous responsibility that you have on your shoulders. Given the level of skills you exhibited at the school level, and also in the programming of your different community organizations we remain extremely confident that you will give a good account of yourselves. So grab the opportunity for what it is and make the most of it”.
He told the five footballers that the government had gone out of its way to get the necessary resources. Out of the way my foot. To do so little for five st.lucians is goin out of the way?????? SMH
Election year
Bulls hit for real..I was a top Athlete in st. Lucia and they did nothing for me and others…waste of talent. If I knew better I would have moved to Jamaica or some other country that sponsor their ppl