17.APR.09

Editor: Please permit me to make a comment on the recent General Meeting held by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) on the March 21st, 2009. Yet another time, the SVGFF General Meeting left many dissatisfied, and we have no idea if it’s the 60th or 65th General Meeting of the SVGFF.{{more}}

We must all remember that the “Voters” elected the SVGFF Executives. Voters are affiliates. They are representatives of Teams not Clubs, Leagues, Organizing Tournament Committees and Standing Committees which are inactive. We had some “who came to vote”, were more aware and knowledgeable of the sport, its history and its process of development; probably SVGFF would not be in this trouble today.

Over the years, “Voters” have been electing persons who are inexperienced and not knowledgeable of the sport, its history and its process of development, but for their personal benefit, rather than electing persons who can develop the leagues and players they are representing. So both end up not being able to “RECOGNIZE” and help each other with what is required to enhance and develop the Players and the Sport. This is the reason why this instability of soccer is present.

Here we are starting over again “Restructuring the League Championship”, and what is noticeable are the inexperienced persons and spectators who love the sport. The skill and physique of sportsmen and women are important and they are also coming forward as representatives and to be administrators. This is happening in other sports also. This is why the process of development has been delayed. Now you can hear them calling on persons of experience and knowledge “To Give Back”.

Every opportunity must be taken to attend Courses, Seminars and Workshops. Not because you have been given the privilege and are intelligent enough to pass a written exam. Receiving a Certificate makes you a Coach, whether you attended your Courses here in SVG or abroad. You now have to practice implementing what you learn in your environment with what is available to develop the Players and the Game. In so doing, you will also “Recognize” the changing abilities of players, a movement, its possible outcome and how to counter such and a lot more.

We need to encourage this Executive to organize more local seminars, workshops and courses during their term in office to have more committed persons becoming “aware and knowledgeable of the sport, its history and its process of development,” so there would be no rude responses at meetings, but a more positive approach to implementing programs necessary for developing our players, officials and the game to make the future for our soccer a success.

So to footballers, spectators and sponsors, please help this Executive not only with money but with information necessary to enhance our knowledge of the sport organization and playing, “A stitch in time can save Soccer in Two Thousand and Nine”.

Coach Rollit Walrond