Vincentian youths benefitting from gifts of gear

Several local sporting organisations are continuing to benefit from an alliance forged between this country and the Harlem FC of New York.{{more}}

And, last week, a large quantity of supplies was handed over.

The items were sourced by Neil Howard, a Vincentian football coach who is the director of football (soccer) development attached to the Harlem Football Club set-up.

The St Vincent and the Grenadines’ leg of the alliance is co-ordinated by Kendall John, also a football coach and manager with the Volcanoes FC.

Last Wednesday, the Integrated Team, Developing Athletic Talent (IT-DAT) – the newest track and field club in St Vincent and the Grenadines, was the recipient of 50 bags, a quantity of jerseys, running shoes and water bottles.

On Saturday morning, a number of youth football organizations were presented with their tokens at the Grammar School Playing Field.

Fourteen units: Calliaqua, Layou, Rocksdale, Fancy, Glenside, Owia, System 3, South Leeward, Greiggs, Bequia, Volcanoes, Green Hill, North Leeward and Sion Hill were the recipients of the gifts.

Apart from the units identified, the top five players of each team received a bag, a shin guard, cap and T-shirt – the Fancy and Owia outfits got a full complement of 16 T-shirts, while Bequia got over 30 pairs of shin guards.

All units present were provided with a ball, with some getting an additional set of training bibs, as well as football literature.

The more than 150 youths who were present at the field last Saturday left the venue with a gift, compliments Harlem FC.

And, in a show of all Vincentian support, the items were shipped free of cost by Standard Caribbean Shippers.

John expressed thanks to Carl Munroe for his continued gestures of benevolence, especially to local sporting organizations.

The gifts from Harlem are the second in recent times. Last August, the System 3 organisation was the recipient of a quantity of football gear.

Harlem FC is run by Irv Smalls and caters to the needs of inner city youths in New York, with a view to using football as a medium for social change.

Harlem FC recently received sponsorship from English premier division club, Chelsea.

Saturday’s event also saw the Volcanoes FC drawing its raffle.

Taking the first prize of a Nintendo Wii was R. Thompson; second place, Arnold John, an android phone and third place, Winston English, an I-pod Nano.(RT)