Digicel SVG Kick Start footballers excel in training at Chelsea Academy

Fri Nov 22, 2013

The three local Under-17 footballers who received training at the Digicel Chelsea Academy in Barbados all excelled in their game, with Deno John being voted Most Improved Player over the one-week training.{{more}}

The trio, John, Jowan Sawyers and Kyle Edwards, left the state on Sunday, November 10, accompanied by Digicel’s Marketing executive Justin John and returned here last Sunday, November 17.

The trio was chosen during the first ever local Digicel Chelsea Kick Start Clinic, which took place here on Friday, April 26 2013 at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex. They received a week’s training at the academy.

John, who was voted as the Most Improved Player over the one-week Digicel/Chelsea Kick Start Academy, was born on January, 1 1997 and plays in the central midfield position for his club Pyola and his school the Barrouallie Secondary School.

John was given the award as the Chelsea coaches said that he showed willingness and an ability to play in numerous different positions during the week’s sessions. It was noted that Deno’s attitude exhibited team spirit and leadership capabilities.

Sawyers, who was also part of Team Hazzard, described the experience as “great”. He said that, among other things, he learned about team shape, how to play wide areas, defensive principles and how to keep the shape of a defense. The left winger, who plays for the Avenues Football Club, said that the experience has made him a better footballer. He is a St Vincent Grammar School student.

Edwards said that the experience “was intense, but I enjoyed it a lot” He added that he had learned about team football, managing passes and managing his shots and being more confident while holding the ball. The midfielder who played for Team Oscar while in Barbados, said that the first game he played in, he scored in stoppage time to draw the game 2-2. He also scored the second goal in the second game which his team won 4-1. His team lost the third game 4-0.

He said that he wanted to be in St Vincent for the Secondary School’s finals, which was played on Friday, November 15th, but couldn’t and was glad that his team won the finals, although he didn’t play.

The youngsters joined 27 other aspiring young footballers who were chosen from 10 countries in the Caribbean and Central America by three coaches from the Chelsea FC Foundation.