PARTICIPANTS in an interactive three-day FIFA Capacity Building Workshop will today gather at the La Fargue Playing Field in Choiseul for a Mini-Football Festival, underlining the importance of this innovative school football programme.
Approximately 100 students from surrounding schools in the area will display their skills.
This week, a top-ranked FIFA official held a tough three-day interactive training session for Physical Education (PE) teachers and coaches at schools across the island, preparing them to convey the fundamentals of the game efficiently and develop young players.
Lyndon Cooper, President of the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA), believes that this programme is critical for schools, students, and the Association to achieve its developmental goals.
“Educators must fully grasp the principles of this programme,” Mr Cooper said. He emphasized the SLFA’s commitment to expanding involvement among players aged 13 and under, as well as reorganizing the environment to allow younger youngsters to interact with the sport.
“By the end of this programme, we expect to see rising participation among boys and girls, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to play,” Cooper asserted.
Cooper stated that the Association’s decision to introduce a Girls Under-10 league last September reflects its commitment to encouraging early participation in football. He emphasized that competitive worldwide soccer typically begins as early as 14 years old, making it critical to introduce the game to younger youngsters earlier.
Cooper also emphasized that the knowledge and commitment of Physical Education instructors and coaches are critical to the programme’s success. He sees the Under-12 Primary Schools Football League competition as the foundation for starting this project and applauds the SLFA’s organizing committee for successfully handling the original six-month Under-12 league tournament.
Cooper highlighted football’s ‘unifying force’ and its global impact on social cohesiveness.
The Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, as well as the Ministry of Education, are on the committee that will oversee the project’s implementation.
According to FIFA Football for Schools Manager Antonio Buenaño Sánchez, participants learned the programme’s philosophy and approach through theoretical and practical exercises. He stressed the program’s unique approach to strengthening children’s football and life skills.
Buenano announced that Saint Lucia is the sixth regional territory to execute this initiative among CONCACAF’s 68 members.
FIFA is focused on improving the game at the school level because it is critical to begin at the grassroots. “We must begin in schools, where boys and girls learn the fundamentals and start playing at an early age,” Buenano said.
He stressed that teaching children about football at ages 13, 14, and 15 may be too late. “This programme provides young players with early opportunities to play, enjoy, and engage with football,” he said.
This effort has the potential to develop not only talented players but also future administrators and leaders in the football community.
Buenano recognized the importance of PE teachers and coaches in instilling the game’s rules in young players, resulting in better footballers in the future.
The PE instructors and coaches were trained in the programme’s football concept and introduced to the Football for Schools app and website. At the end of the workshop, the participating technical officials received certificates.