PEP Participants facilitate SKNFA Grassroots Camp

Jason A. Rouse

Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 25, 2013 (SKNIS): Participants of the People Empowerment Programme (PEP) helped to make this year’s St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Grassroots Camp and Festival a Success.

Jason A. Rouse, of the PEP Digital Media Group and SKNFA identified several factors that contributed to the positive outcome.

“We thank the children who came on out, the coaches, the media – everybody who made it successful,” emphasized Mr. Rouse. “The Grassroots Programme started since about 2006 with Lenny Lake at the Gardens with Hotspurs Football Team. Several years ago FIFA adopted the Grassroots Programme.”

The SKNFA Football Camp which ran for two weeks from April 08 to 19, culminated in a Football Festival on the last two days where members of the general public and media were invited to the Basseterre High School Grounds to see the newly acquired football skills of the campers. The PEP Digital Media Group under the guidance of the SKNFA conducted the Camp.

Norella Williams	Donroy Liburd

Norella Williams another PEP participant explained that it was rewarding working with the children.

“Is Digital Media we’re really doing, but when the Grassroots Camp started they assigned us to help out,” said Ms. Williams. “So when the kids all out of energy we give them water to build them back up and keep them going. This is my first time learning about sports and football and interacting with the kids.”

Donroy Liburd also of PEP, was one of the coaches at the camp and has a wealth of football experience. He explained that he was introduced to the sport at a similar camp under the tutorship of Lenny Lake and Pedro Hazel who coached him at the time. Liburd then moved on to play for National Under 15, National Under 17 and National Under 20 Football Teams. He revealed that there were several prospective footballers at the Camp.

“There’s a lot of potential among the campers, but most of them, to tell you the truth – one thing is going to bring them down and that is their attitude,” Mr. Liburd noted. “Some of them feel like football is all about just playing. They don’t want to know the basics of the sport, they just want to kick football but we do have to teach them the basics. I do let them know that football skills don’t come by themselves, they come with education too, so if they are going to stick with the sport they have to focus on football and still their schoolwork.”

He also explained that PEP had a positive effect on his life.

Tajinella McSheen	I-Livity Pemberton

“PEP did me a good favour because when I finish with school I couldn’t get a job,” Mr. Liburd revealed. “I was at home getting lackadaisical and giving up on finding jobs. So when PEP came I was grateful for it because it helped me to help out my mother in the household and to get up and not be too lazy, in a sense. So I thank PEP for giving me this opportunity to get this job experience.”

SKNIS also spoke with two of the Campers.

Tajinella McSheen stated simply that she was enjoying herself and “football is not for boys only.”

I-Livity Pemberton explained that he had been learning how to do “stopovers and shoots.” He further stated that it was his “favourite thing to do” and it would give him the opportunity to travel overseas to play the sport. He said he believed this goal would be achieved as long as he played well, listened to the coaches and behaved.

The SKNFA is currently hosting three groups of PEP participants – Digital Media, Turf as well as Landscaping and Coaching.