By Neto Baptiste
Over 100 young footballers stand to benefit from a one-week football camp in the Gray’s Green community starting December 16th and ending on December 20th at the Keithley Sheppard Recreational Park (KSRP).
The initiating, dubbed the Fourth Gray’s Green X-Mas Soccer Camp, is being hosted by former national coach and youth development coordinator, Micah Samuel, in conjunction with three of the area’s most prominent clubs in former 13 times Premier Division champions, Empire FC, and multiple times champions, Five Islands FC and Greenbay Hoppers FC.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, Samuel said the camp will cater for boys and girls between the ages of 8-17 years old.
“We’re covering 120 kids for the full five days from Monday through Friday and it’s free registration and free everything. Basically, our primary objectives are to engage the campers in meaningful athletic pursuit, promulgating friendships and for the early identification processes which are required for the future existence of the aforementioned football clubs, namely Empire, Five Islands and Hoppers,” he said.
A number of recognized coaches are set to assist during the one-week evet. The list includes former national coaches Vincent “Nabu” Samuel and Karen Warner. Other coaches are Justin “Trini” Perrera, Andy “Gantones” Nesbitt, Shakemba “Yaya” Williams and more.
Samuel said the camp is their way of giving to both the community and the sport that has given so much to them.
“Nando [Fernando Abraham] and I have been involved in the sport for a number of years, over 50 years and the sport has been good to us and we figure that we want to give back to some young budding footballers who wants to play the sport at the highest level,” he said.
Registration for the camp will take place on December 16 starting at 8:00 am at the Keithley Sheppard Recreational Park. Parents could also call 780-9370 or 780-1931 for more information.
