… Six areas to be targeted
RUSAL, a Russian-owned company operating under the name Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BGGI) has agreed to sponsor a football Academy that will see six villages in the Region 10 area benefit from the expertise of Guyana Football Federation (GFF) coach Jimmy McLean. McLean, who has been doing work in the Kwakwani area since April 2011 on behalf of the GFF, made the initial approach to RUSAL which responded in the affirmative.
Head of Representative Office to the Republic of Guyana, Vladimir Permyakov, in handing over the cheque to McLean to purchase the equipment stated that RUSAL was delighted to be on board with the federation to further enhance the development of the sport in the rural areas.
RUSAL he said, has been sponsoring a football team made up of workers to compete in the annual Kashif & Shanghai tournament as well as the Upper Demerara Football Association league and is happy to be associated with the honing of talent from the grassroots level.
Coach McLean who has extensive experience in the area of youth development and has also coached at the Pro League level in Trinidad and Tobago, ever since his return has been silently working in Kwakwani.
McLean, who is well respected in the coaching arena, producing footballers the calibre of Collie ‘Hitman’ Hercules and Kayode ‘The Magician’ McKinnon to name but a few, expressed his delight in being able to acquire the partnership of RUSAL to support of the development of players in the targeted areas.
These areas are: Kwakwani Park, Water Front, Lamp Island, Aroaima, Hururu  and Ituni. Both boys and girls will be involved in the Academy which according to McLean will kick off shortly.
“This has always been my aim and goal, to get these talented youngsters involved in an Academy that will further expand and guide their skills and overall development.
“Sessions will be held in the afternoon during the week and we will be culminating this Academy in August with a huge tournament when the players will get the opportunity to showcase what they would have learnt.”
McLean expressed gratitude to RUSAL and the Guyana Football Federation for affording him such an opportunity.
“I am really excited about this Academy that will have both boys and girls. This is an extension of the GFF’s vision of youth development and we will see the fruits of this investment in the coming years.”
McLean said that he has an assistant coach in the person of Royston Hetimyer.