PRESS RELEASE – THE curtains go up today as the Flow–Trevor Daniel Football Development Programme presents “Football Fiesta 2017”. Once again, the Sab Facility (Vigie playing field) will become centre- stage for what promises to be an extravaganza.
Youth from 4 to 19 years will showcase their skills, talents, abilities, passion and — most importantly — love for the game.
Last year, the event featured almost 250 children from 19 schools. This year, however, organizers anticipate that number will increase by 100 (or more) now that the programme engages youth from 26 schools.
The event is open to any child: who loves football, not sure if he/she likes football or who just wants to try for the first time.
The event preliminary rounds will be held today and tomorrow while the championship matches will be played on June 18.
Registration runs from 8:30 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. and matches start promptly at 9:00 a.m.
Interested children who sign up will be pooled according to age and randomly divided into teams (4, 5 or 6 teams per category, depending on total sign-ups). Age categories are U6 — 4 & 5 years, U8 — 6 & 7 years, U10 — 8 & 9 years, U12 — 10 & 11 years, U14 — 12 & 13 years, U16 — 14 & 15 years, U19 — 16 & older.
Everyone is guaranteed a minimum of three matches in the preliminary round. The event will for the first time feature a “Mummies” category for mothers, grandmothers, aunts, big sisters, god-mothers older than 21, some of whom have never kicked a football before this month.
This initiative is in keeping with the campaign launched in 2016 by the Recreational Center of St. Lucia, prompted by the St. Lucia Olympic Committee, to promote Physical Literacy throughout our country. The idea is to keep people active and moving from age 0 to age 100. Mothers who are active will be healthier and better able to keep up with and care for their active children, and we hope that football becomes one more activity that mothers can spend with their children as quality time.
As we continue to engage the youth in multiple “football specific” activities that enhance skills, improve technique, encourage creativity and boost self-esteem, the Flow-TDFDP finds it necessary to do even more to:
• Ensure that every interested child gets the opportunity to experience our advanced training methods, regardless of the environment from which they come;
• Encourage those who have started to stay committed and put in the required effort to achieve their goals/dreams;
• Grow these impressionable young ones into well-rounded, disciplined, positive citizens, hence better equipping them to venture into various aspects and fields of society; and
• Produce world-class players who could one day take St. Lucia to a World Cup or Olympic Final.
One of the major challenges faced is that some of these young ones come from difficult family environments and most times basic needs cannot be met by their parents/guardians. On occasions, they may even come to training sessions/events without a proper meal for the day. They are among the most vulnerable and Flow-TDFDP continues to embrace, feed, train and develop them. NO child is turned away for financial reasons. It is an all-day event and every child will be fed a hot lunch and juice.
Programme Director, Trevor Daniel, expresses a heartfelt thank-you to the loyal sponsors who have come on board and really helped. However, we have not met our quota to make the meals 100% free to the children. At this point, we will serve every child macaroni and cheese, baked chicken, seasoned rice, “peas a la Jah” and salad for $3. We hope to make it $2, $1 or $0 if we can pull in some last-minute support/sponsorship/donations. For some children, this event is the ONLY time they ever experienced that “special superstar” treatment and we hope to be able to facilitate this for many years.
We are aware that at the end of the 74 matches, not everyone can walk away with the gold. However, we believe that every child can be active, can have fun, can display their skills and abilities, can and should enjoy a safe and positive environment. For us, this is our measure of success — to provide every participant with an awesome football experience, which will become lifelong positive memories. If we can accomplish this, then the event would be another huge success!
Thanks to our sponsors Flow, Sandals, Ministry of Youth Development & Sports, Jn. Marie & Sons, Lucozade, Ribena, Western Union, Rendezvous Hotel, The VOICE Publishing and Massy Stores.