Local match officials are being offered an opportunity to upgrade their efficiencies towards attaining higher grades and professional recognition in the sport of soccer.
The Central Football Union (CFU) Next Generation Referee’s Course targets Caribbean referees who are not FIFA qualified – but who have the requisite abilities to transition into the rank of FIFA within a year or two.
The objective of the course is to equip match officials with the requisite skills needed for effective control of games of higher quality, ultimately leading to their nomination to the FIFA rank. The referees’ developmental course is an annual exercise.
The groundbreaking initiative, is attuned to one of the CFU’s strategic objectives in the 2020-2026 Strategic Framework 2.0 under capacity building, which is to have at least one panel of CFU referees represented at every FIFA World Cup.
A total of 25 up-and-coming referees and assistant referees comprised the first cohort for the inaugural CFU Next Generation Referee Course which took place from July 21-25, 2022 at the Jamaica Football Federation Technical Centre in Kingston, Jamaica.
The second Referees Training Programme currently taking place in Antigua and Barbuda, started January 19th 2023 and ends Tuesday.
Saint Lucia is being represented by Kevin Antoine and Renlee Napoleon.
Meanwhile, the SLFA Inc. in collaboration with the Ministry of Education is set to launch – the Generation Amazing Programme, today (Saturday 21st January) at its headquarters in La Clery.
In attendance will be SLFA President Lyndon Cooper, John Sealy Programme Coordinator and the coaches assigned to the selected Primary Schools.
Prior to this, on January, 12 a meeting was held with the identified coaches to apprise them of the developments.
According to an SLFA Inc. official, “Football for Social Development will attempt to utilise football to empower youth and improve our communities thereby improving our country.”
Addressing the coaches, Cooper gave an overview of the programme, while outlining its importance towards the development of the youngsters through football administered programmes.
Sealy reiterated what the programme entails and what it seeks to address and accomplish.
A total of 26 schools from the 19 Football Leagues have been selected to participate in the programme with assigned coaches.
The selected coaches will undergo a period of training before the implementation of the programme which is scheduled for this February.
Meanwhile, last Saturday (January 14) SLFA Inc. executive met with Member League Presidents at its office in La Clery.
Agenda items down for discussion were namely;
The Marchand Football League [MFL] Issue and the SLFA Inc. Semi Professional League.