BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER OF SPORTS Hon. Glen Phillip has urged the female footballers who are attending the FIFA’s-sponsored Women Development Technical Course to maximise on all available opportunities, with the view of improving their knowledge and skills of the sport to become the most competitive team in the region and further afield.
The Minister was at the time addressing 27 local female footballers at the opening ceremony of the FIFA Women Development Technical Course held at the Football House on Lozack Road on Saturday, January 1.
Phillip told them that in every sport women have been exhibiting focus, strength of character, and discipline which are important factors for success in conventional sports. “Our women have been able to do so. I think, for one reason…that reason is training,” he added.
He noted that the local track and field circuit had focused on training a number of females, including Dianne Dunrod-Francis, Tiandra Ponteen and Virgil Newton while comparing them to male powerhouses like Kim Collins and Allister Clarke.
“As a result of the training and exposure received, we can speak glowingly of the West Indian female cricketer Deandra Dottin as power house of the sport, equal to the strengths of her male West Indian counterparts Chris Gayle and Ryan Hinds,” he said.
Using Dottin’s success as an example, Phillip said that he is looking forward to the local female footballers equaling the performances and profiles of Keith Gumbs, George Isaac and Atiba Harris.
He explained that such performances would emerge from the participants of the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Women Football Technical Course and the anticipated Women Football League and Olympic qualifiers slated for later this year.
Expressing the importance of making use of the presented opportunities to the participants, the Sports Minister said, “I take this opportunity to encourage course trainees to get all you can, and can all you get in this course. Expertise like that of coach Rodebaugh and the knowledge available through this training workshop are valuable tools.”
He added that they are tools that must be claimed and retained in order to become a part of the discipline and focus that become the legacy of the Federation’s sporting icons.
He thanked the FIFA women instructor Andrea Rodebaugh for her willingness in imparting her skills and technical expertise gained after years of training and participation in the sport of football.
“When the history of women football in the Federation is written, I believe strongly that her contribution to the training of our people will feature prominently, as we recall how St. Kitts and Nevis was able to lead the way in gender parity and excellence in sport,” he declared.
