Sports

Gros Islet Football League: Air Freighters Aan Sports Shop Back in Play as Joint Sponsors

Image: (BACK ROW) - members of the Gros Islet football team displaying their new playing top; (FRONT ROW L-R) Shayne Paul - President GIFL, Francillia Scott - CEO Saint Lucia Air Freighters, Larry Scott - CEO Scotts Sports Shops and Awards, Charde Desir - 1st Vice President GIFL. (PHOTO: Anthony De Beauville)

THE Gros Islet Football League on Tuesday evening received much-needed football equipment, especially football uniforms with the players names written at the back ahead of their all-important game – against Desruisseaux in the 2018 Blackheart Production/Saint Lucia Football Association sanctioned tournament that was scheduled for last evening at the La Ressource playing field.

After a one year fall-out between the two parties due to indiscipline by two Gros Islet players, Saint Lucia Air Freighters is back on board with the Gros Islet Football League.

Image: (BACK ROW) - members of the Gros Islet football team displaying their new playing top; (FRONT ROW L-R) Shayne Paul - President GIFL, Francillia Scott - CEO Saint Lucia Air Freighters, Larry Scott - CEO Scotts Sports Shops and Awards, Charde Desir - 1st Vice President GIFL. (PHOTO: Anthony De Beauville)
(BACK ROW) – members of the Gros Islet football team displaying their new playing top; (FRONT ROW L-R) Shayne Paul – President GIFL, Francillia Scott – CEO Saint Lucia Air Freighters, Larry Scott – CEO Scotts Sports Shops and Awards, Charde Desir – 1st Vice President GIFL. (PHOTO: Anthony De Beauville)

CEO Francillia Scott and Managing Director and CEO of Scott’s Sports and Awards, Larry Scott, have always been strong supporters of the League.

According to Charde Desir, Vice President of the GIFL, in 2016, the Gros Islet Football League approached the current sponsors as they were in dire need of football equipment and new football kits. This was on the back- drop of a successful 2015 year where the GIFL won the National U18, U23 and the first ever Saint Lucia Football Association/Super League Competition.

Francillia Scott, CEO of Saint Lucia Air Freighters was very delighted and excited to be part of this brand hence decided to sponsor the GIFL with two new football kits along with footballs and other training equipment.

Larry Scott ensured that the League were trendsetters hence decided to include the names of players behind every shirt. This really boosted the moral of the Gros Islet Footballers. They went on to win the Champion of Champions game against traveling Grenadian Team in resounding fashion and ended the year placing 3rd in the Blackheart Tournament.

Unfortunately in 2017 the GIFL lost their sponsorship due to indiscipline by two players. These players have made amends and have apologized for their misbehavior and in 2018 Saint Lucia Air Freighters is back on board.

Addressing the gathering, President of the GIFL, Shayne Paul said, “I am extremely happy to have our main sponsors back with us after losing them in 2017. It was one of the most difficult things as a league we had to go through; it was a rough year without a main sponsor, equipment especially balls, are so expensive to purchase and therefore caused training to be lackluster”.

Paul continued, “This renewed sponsorship will boost the morale of the players ahead of their Blackheart fixture on Wednesday night against Desruisseaux”.

Paul took a time out to thank Larry and Francillia Scott for holding their hands in 2018 and hopefully up until 2030.

President Paul also spoke about a new project to be undertaken by the GIFL in the form of a High Performance Centre (HPC) to harness the skills of the League’s best players in a professional environment. Hence receiving this equipment will jump start the initiative. In the coming days, the GIFL will be meeting with a number of stakeholders.

Larry Scott a former president of the league, who also spoke on behalf of his wife said, “We decided to come back on board with the League mainly because of the commitment that Charde and Shayne have displayed over the years with limited resources”.

“Charde and Shayne continued to knock on our doors and we finally listened; this sponsorship will not only be what you see before you today but we shall help wherever possible so that the League can be more successful”. He noted.

Scott continued, “The level and longevity of this sponsorship depends heavily on the players so they need to learn to appreciate what is given to them as the economy is not doing too well these days and yet we are willing to help out”.

Anthony De Beauville is The VOICE Publishing Company’s multi-award winning sports journalist. He works closely with a number of sports federations including the Department of Youth Development and Sports, the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee and other organizations.

He covers and contributes articles highlighting the areas of international, regional, national, community based clubs and schools sporting activities. There is never an off day as he stays busy... Read full bio...

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