Grassroots Football Programme moved to a higher level on Saturday, September 14th

The Digicel/JFF Grassroots Programme moved to a higher level when the eighteenth (18th) festival moved to the Three Hills Community Football field in St. Mary on Saturday, September 14.

The Digicel/JFF Grassroots Programme moved to a higher level when the eighteenth (18th) festival moved to the Three Hills Community Football field in St. Mary on Saturday, September 14.

When the JFF announced the programme, which is aimed at introducing the rudiments of the game to children age 6-12, it indicated that the programme would have four (4) components:

1.The staging of festivals in all parishes, targeting one hundred (100) children at each. To date seventeen (17) festivals have been held with over two thousand (2000) children.

2.The staging of coaching education workshops aimed at teaching coach educators, at the parish level, the best means of imparting the basics of the game to this age group. To date over five hundred (500) coach educators across the island have been involved in these workshops.

3.The appointment of Grassroots Coordinators in each parish. All parishes have recently appointed a Grassroots Coordinator.

4.The provision of equipment to the parishes to facilitate a continuous grassroots programme at the parish level.

On Saturday, the first stock of equipment was handed over to the St. Mary FA at the end of the festival which began at 1:30 pm. It is expected that the parishes will use the equipment to have small festivals.

The JFF had made representation to FIFA for some assistance with grassroots equipment and FIFA has recently approved an allocation to the JFF.