THE Pink Plantation at Morne Fortune was a hive of activity on Saturday evening, as the Gros Islet Football League, in collaboration with the GMC United Club, held a cocktail party to recognize the contribution of Alfonso Aurelien and family to the club and Gros Islet Football League.
The gathering included the president of the GIFL – Shayne Paul, Vice President of the SLFA Women’s Football – Charde Desir, representatives of all clubs who participated in the Aurelien Soles Cup 2018 edition, well-wishers and members of the media.
Desir, took the time out to thank the Gros Islet Football League and Alphonso Aurelien for hosting the youth tournament for yet another year.
He said, “The SLFA appreciates youth tournaments which help to keep the youth engaged in meaningful activities during their time away from formal education. With the summer being a quiet period for the SLFA, such youth tournaments help to augment the work that the SLFA currently pushes”.
Desir further highlighted the fact that their youth national teams are doing so well which not by mere luck, but due to a dedicated long term plan with many youth tournaments as these.
He challenged the GIFL and Alphonso Aurelien to organize a bigger tournament in2019 where more playing time can be allocated per game and more clubs from the other zones can participate.
Shayne Paul, President of the Gros Islet Football League thanked the Aurelien Family for their dedication and commitment towards the development of one of his affiliates, and by extension the Northern Zone.
Member of GMC United, Karen Fowell in brief remarks thanked the Aurelien Family for all the equipment and kits received over the years. Two presentations were made to the family; a large framed picture of the GMC United Youth team and a plaque saying ‘Thank You’.
Mitchel Ribot, proprietor of the Pink Plantation and a member of GMC United thanked the Aurelien family for all that they have done, not just for the children of GMC United, but all the other children from the various clubs.
She said, “You are a wonderful friend and for us as an international link, in Saint Lucia we need friends, you have treated us beautifully, contributed so much. We want to treasure and keep that friendship. I am happy to see representatives from the other clubs that turn up to say thank you and show their appreciation to you”.
“Our young players need the attention from adults; we need to come together in Saint Lucia, and it doesn’t always have to be from the outside end. There is a lot we can do as a community, we can do as a business; in order to help support our youth. A happier youth, a healthier youth in the long run turns out to be turn out to make Saint Lucia a productive and safer country”.
In his brief remarks Alfonso Aurelien thanked all speakers before him and those in attendance for being there and welcoming his family with such love.
He pledges to continue seeking sponsorship for this long term Soles Cup competition as well as the development of the GMC United Club into a powerhouse. This is our aim when we get back to the UK and by doing this we will have more clubs involved”.
Aurelien said “The amazing thing I have seen since is the amount of talent we have in Saint Lucia; this is one thing we are not short of, but the way we want to go about harnessing that talent and guide these kids in doing better than the way they are is to identify role models for them, because when they are in the camp they are great, but outside the camp that is where everything goes wrong”.
According to Aurelien, the plan is to get a coach to come down to Saint Lucia for at least 10 days next year to have a few training sessions with some of the players. They are also looking at a trainer/referee to work with some of the referees on and off the field as well, the problem is getting the right set of people to sponsor that aspect of the project.
Aurelien made it abundantly clear that he does not accept money from the sponsors. He said, “I go with a list of the things I need to make this camp work, when all is set and done all the stuff come to my house and then I ship them to Saint Lucia to be distributed”.
He also took the opportunity to mention that he might be getting a new sponsor who will sign on for the next three years to sponsor equipment and kits to GMC United and Gros Islet Football League, as well as all teams that will be participating in next year’s competition.
