THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in a release yesterday said that they are delivering an intensive range of national team training camps for youth and senior, male and female teams in April and May, as the Technical Department works to bring elite players up to speed with the new national playing philosophy in preparation for upcoming competitions.

One of the highlights of the schedule is the selection of Guyana’s first under-13 boys’ squad, which has been made possible thanks to the success of the new, nationwide GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres, that have created a system for scouting and coaching talented youth players from all nine regional member associations this year.

Over the coming month, the GFF will host national training camps for U-13 boys, U-15 boys, and U-17 girls – in line with age groups covered by the elite Academy Training Centre programme – as well as camps for the Lady Jaguars and locally-based Golden Jaguars.

The camps will prepare the U-15 boys’ team for a tournament in Saint Martin in June and a CONCACAF tournament in August, the U-17 girls’ team for a CFU tournament in August, and the Lady Jags for the CFU Caribbean Cup in May.

“We believe this is the most complete and intensive training camp schedule the GFF has ever put together for its national teams,” said GFF Technical Director,Ian Greenwood.

The Technical Director added “this is an example of the way the new administration wants to operate: bringing our national set-up into line with best international practice and ensuring that our national teams are fully engaged in a professional, methodical structure.
“The GFF is committed to giving our best players, both male and female in every age group, the training and guidance they need to reach their potential as individuals and to succeed as squads at international level.

“Too often in the past, Guyana’s national teams have been starved of the training they need to compete with better-prepared regional rivals. We are making this kind of training a top priority so that Guyana can make a statement at every level on the field of play” Greenwood further stated.

The GFF has also selected former and current national team players to participate in the coaching of the national team squads, including Akilah Castello, Tricia Munroe, Charles Pollard, Anthony Benfield and Bryan Joseph.

“It’s crucial that we involve current and former stars of the game in all of our coaching programmes, whether as part of the Academy Training Centres or within the national team structures,” said Greenwood.
“This system will help us to inspire the current generation with the wisdom of previous elite players, as well as creating a clear pathway for players to aim for as they look beyond their careers on the pitch” said Greenwood.

Golden Jaguars Vurlon Mills, Andrew Durant and Eon Alleyne are among some of the national team stars to get involved with coaching boys and girls at the Academy Training Centres in recent weeks.

Details of the training camps are as follows: