By Neto Baptiste
Football clubs across Antigua should find time to develop players within the communities they represent.
This is the belief of former national and Lion Hill footballer, David “Tull” Warner, who said clubs should not only focus on winning at the top level but must also be a catalyst for development.
“That’s the most important aspect and if there is no development then there is not going to be any future and I will use this analogy where I coach high school soccer in New York and the first meeting I had with the athletics director was that he asked me about the future and next season and so I told him that to have a good varsity team, I need a good modified soccer or a JV, Junior Varsity team because that is what is going to feed the varsity team two or three years down the road,” he said.
The former player, who migrated to the US over 30 years ago, said development does not have to be on a large scale and encouraged clubs to start small.
“Just reach out to the community and find even if it is four, five, or six kids, and have someone work with them even if it is once or twice per week, teaching them the fundamentals of football; that’s the best way to start,” Warner said.
Warner was a founding member of the Lion Hill FC. Lion Hill captured titles in 1983 and then again in 1993/94 season.