Local football clubs personnel, who took advantage of a two day workshop on capacity building, are better prepared to execute their administrative duties.{{more}}

The workshop which was staged by the executive of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), in collaboration with the Social Investment Fund, focused on club development.

At the session which took place at the Conference Room of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela on Murray’s Road, four pertinent aspects of club development were addressed.

Evadney Joseph facilitated the topic of ‘Leadership and the Role of the Executive’, Bentley Browne presented on ‘Strategic Planning’, Cerlian Russell dealt with ‘Management of Club Finance’ and Keith Joseph looked at the ‘Socio and Psychology of Good Club Management’.

General Secretary of the SVGFF Ian Hypolite told SEARCHLIGHT that the purpose of the two day exercise was achieved, but expressed disappointment with the attendance. He described the attendance as “apathetic” and called on clubs “to step up”.

Hypolite praised the facilitators for their presentations.

He said the workshop was geared mainly at the 24 units currently enrolled in the National Lotteries Authority National Club Championships.

“On the first day, we had twelve attending with nineteen having confirmed, and on the second day, twenty two had confirmed participation, but only nine showed up,” said a disappointed Hypolite.

“This is all part of our capacity building and helping to see teams form themselves into clubs,” the SVGFF General Secretary added.

Hypolite is optimistic that the process must continue. He said at the next workshop presentations will be made on ‘Project Writing’ and ‘Management’ as well as ‘Communication’ and the ‘Illegality of Clubs’. This he said will come as early as next month.

The General Secretary further stated that the workshop follows the mandate set by football’s governing body, FIFA, to have the professionalization of clubs.

The executive of the SVGFF in September 2009, St. Lucia, framed the Coconut Bay Resolutions, which charts the creation of a professional culture among players and clubs to improve club administration and professionalization, as well as ensuring that clubs are viable commercial entities.

The creation of a semi professional league by 2015 as the end product, is also part of the resolutions. (RT)