Four coaches are spending a week in Antigua & Barbuda assisting ABFA to develop female football. The local participating coaches are (from left) Rohan “Porridge” Benjamin, Lenny Hewlett, (ABFA President Everton “Batow” Gonsalves), Gwen Salmon, Mervyn “MR” Richards, Chesley Brown, Desmond “Zico” Bleu, Keleisha Antoine, and Shawn Samuel. (Photo by Ian “Magic” Hughes)
St. John’s Antigua- Four overseas-based coaches from four different universities are presently in Antigua to assist Antigua & Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) in the development of its female football programme.
Ines Herovic from Bryant & Stratton College, Christopher McLain from Colgate University, Tracey Leipold from Le Moyne College and Claire McLain from Utica College will be conducting sessions with all the local female coaches while assessing the standard of female football.
Speaking to the press at a short opening ceremony at Antigua Recreation Grounds on Wednesday, the coaches said their aim is to help the players get to the next level after ascertaining where they are at this time. They also noted that parents had a part to play in the development of their children.
The training camp will help to develop female footballers so that they can become better players, but it must come with the blend of education, and individual skills will be looked at during the camp.
Herovic said the three Antiguans presently at the college – Argell London, Devikka Tittle and Heidi Thomas – are the top three players on the college team and that they’re also doing very well in academics. She said the opportunity is there for them to move to a higher-level university.
ABFA President Everton “Batow” Gonsalves; co-ordinator of the female football programme, Gwen Salmon, and her assistant Rowan “Porridge” Benjamin; the head of the physical education teachers in the Ministry of Sports Shawn Samuel and Director of Sports Mervyn “MR” Richards all spoke at the opening ceremony.
While in Antigua & Barbuda, the coaches would be scouting for talent with the possibility of scholarships being awarded.
The camp ends on Sunday.
