??
Minister of Sports, Stephen Lashley, greeting some of the students of the Christ Church Foundation School, while Principal Robert Cumberbatch looks on. (A. Gaskin/BGIS)??

Government is looking at developing a national junior football tournament in the future.

This disclosure came today from Minister of Sports, Stephen Lashley, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Brewster Trust, Axel Bernhardt, presented him with football goal bars for Bayleys Primary School and Christ Church Foundation School, at each school.

Mr. Lashley said his Ministry and the National Sports Council would soon be putting more focus on junior football, and he encouraged the Brewster Trust to come on board and assist with the initiative.

During the presentation at Bayleys, he stated: "We want to focus on ensuring that we can equip Barbadians to play football at all levels."

He pointed out that the Trust had donated 160 goal bars to 53 organisations in nine parishes, and stressed that it was not only a significant investment, but an important step to develop football at schools across the country, as well as in the community.

"It is only the beginning; it is a part of a strategic direction by Government to place football at the centre of our existence and to see it as a professional sport in Barbados. We believe we should grow the sport from the primary school up.

"We want you to consider football as a career, because that is where it is in the world. It is a very lucrative pursuit and, to master football, you need the equipment, so the donation of these goal bars is a step in that direction," he declared.

He also urged the children and members of both communities to care for the goal bars and nets, stressing they were expensive.

Minister of Housing, Michael Lashley, attended the presentation at Bayleys School and thanked Mr. Bernhardt and the Minister of Sports. He said a good sports programme at the primary level was critical and expressed the view that his colleague Minister was ensuring such a programme was realised.

He further suggested that the provision of goal bars would allow the school to excel in another sporting discipline and praised Minister Stephen Lashley for his continued dedication to the primary school sports programme.

Principal of the Christ Church Foundation School, Robert Cumberbatch, said his students loved the game, noting that some of them were talented and would go far.

The Brewster Trust is a registered charity, which was formed in 2010.?? Its mission is to promote, develop and improve football in Barbados, with the aim of creating opportunities at all levels, but especially for the youth.

It also aims to "impart the qualities of leadership and loyalty, sportsmanship, competitive ambition and the drive for academic excellence, as well as discipline, fair play and respect".

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest