….Senior Ladies voted ‘Team of the year’
GUYANA and Alpha United’s goalkeeper Ronson Williams is the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) 2010 Male ‘Footballer of the year’, while Canadian born Alisson Hedron is the female winner.
At the GFF’s Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony held last Saturday night at the Georgetown Club, the 23 year old Williams was also named Best Goalkeeper in the two National Tournaments won by his club and MVP of the national Super League.
Added to this, is his outstanding heroics within the uprights for Guyana and you will agree that the tall and athletic Williams do deserve the honour.

Utility player Hedron, who has ten caps to her credit since donning the National colours is a key member of the senior national female side.
The 25 year-old former Central Michigan University graduate who resides in London, Ontario has played in most positions, except goal, since joining the National team and currently plays in the Women USL. Unlike Williams who was on spot to collect his Awards, Hedron’s prize was received on her behalf by Coach Mark Rodrigues.

The Technical Director of the GFF’s Women football who was voted ‘Coach of the Year’ told Chronicle sport that he was pleasantly surprised, “I was surprised that I was even nominated for the award.
I was pleasantly surprised when it was announced, but achieving this is only as good as the people who worked alongside me. The Coaches and the players, I thank them all,” stated Rodrigues.

There was more success for the North American-based Rodrigues as his Senior Ladies side was voted the GFF’s ‘Team of the year’, following the announcement last Friday that they were voted the ‘Best Sports Team 2010” by the National Sports Commission.

Rodrigues who has been at the helm of the GFF’s Women’s football since 2008 says that he is very optimistic of Guyana’s chances of qualifying for next year’s U-20 Girls World Cup finals set for Vietnam.
“The qualifiers begin at the end of the year so we have time to put a structured and effective programme in place in terms of preparations.
I will be back in a couple of weeks to explore some of the untapped talents in the hinterland that I have heard about. I am also getting calls from College players in North America and some five others from the UK seeking to be part of Guyana’s Women football.
What makes the future in the U-20s look bright is that the nucleus of the senior squad is eligible. Our chances of qualifying are realistic once we get the necessary support to prepare the team,” Rodrigues opined.

The GFF’s occasion was graced with the presence of the Minister of Sport, Dr Frank Anthony among the invitees which seemingly did not cater for much present players or few past players. Not even one past player was honoured in the list of honourees for 2010.
All five including the lone female Alisson Peters were past officials.
The others remembered by the GFF are, John Yates, Lance Baptiste, and Ivor O’Brien, all past executives of the GFL and GFF. The other honouree who got the loudest applause when his name was called was Professor Aubrey Bishop the former FIFA accredited referee.

The Media and several sponsors also collected Certificates of Appreciation for their contribution to the development of football in 2010.
Stanley Lancaster was named ‘Male referee of the year’ while the most improved referee award was won by Sherwin Johnson. The Assistant referee of the year award went to Dion Inniss and Kevin Stevens was adjudged the Most Promising.

The national Women League was won by Georgetown with Rupununi and Bartica second and third respectively. Georgetown’s Andrea Lashley who was the top goal scorer was also named the League’s MVP, while Rupununi won the Fair Play Trophy.

Alpha United once again dominated the National Super League and also copped the KO Cup where their National midfielder Dwain Jacobs was the top goal scorer and the MVP. In the League competition, Anthony ‘Awo’Abrams was joint top goal scorer with Delroy Fraser of Rosignol United with 14 goals each, while  Buxton United took away the Fairplay  award. Upper-Demerara’s Milerock will join Alpha as Guyana’s representative at the CFU/CONCACAF Club Championship this year after finishing runners-up in the League.