SCOTIABANK Guyana last Saturday, presented bursaries to 16 students from across Guyana who are part of the GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATCs) and have excelled both academically and technically at their respective ATCs.

The bursaries, valued at G$30 000, were presented at the Boardroom of the GFF Secretariat by Scotiabank’s Marketing Manager Jennifer Cipriani, visiting FIFA Regional Director Marlon Glean; GFF president Wayne Forde and GFF Technical Director, Ian Greenwood.

In comments during the brief ceremony, Cipriani, while encouraging the students to stay in school said the bursary is aimed at enabling the respective students to offset costs related to textbooks and other school supplies necessary for the furtherance of their academic pursuits.

“You can’t have sports alone without some amount of academic (input). Scotiabank’s commitment is to help persons become better-off, not only customers, but also members of the community.

“You will become customers of Scotiabank, hopefully, so we want to give you a good start. The award today is to help you with your school supplies; use it wisely, buy your text, buy whatever it is you need for your schooling and remember to stay in school and focus on your schoolwork even though you love football,” Cipriani said.

Glean, extended greetings on behalf the FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his regional office, and congratulated the students, Scotiabank and the GFF for the initiative.

The former Grenadian national footballer turned Attorney said football is a pathway to the attainment of life’s dreams, adding that “football gave me an opportunity to go to school.
“I was awarded a scholarship to play football in the United States. While there I still played for the Grenadian National Team but, in addition, I went on to become an Attorney. I always tell people that it was through football that I am where I am today.”

Meanwhile Greenwood, while congratulating the awardees, encouraged them to be well-rounded citizens, highlighting that the GFF is “looking for not just good footballers but good people as well. That comes with doing your school work and what you do in and around the Academy … whenever you come into the national team, we are looking for good people at every aspect of your life. Obviously, the focus is on football, as we’d like to produce the best possible teams in the Caribbean.”

President Forde also offered his congratulations and said part of the Federation’s mandate is to develop well-rounded citizens.

According to Forde, “We know that everything we undertake as a Federation goes beyond developing a player (to only play football). The Football Federation is working very hard to develop well-rounded human beings. We want to put into the society wholesome human beings who would have learned and benefitted from many of the programmes that we are running at the Federation that go beyond the field of play.”

“In every national camp we host, we have stakeholders from the Social Cohesion Ministry and other ministries who can speak to issues that are confronting our boys, girls and parents every single day of their lives. We’re hoping that those small, simple interventions will help you in this long, and sometimes challenging, journey that you’re taking to get to adulthood,” the GFF president pointed out.

The bursary is an incentive and part of the GFF’s partnership with Scotiabank Guyana to provide a pathway for youth footballers into the national senior team.

The recipients of the bursaries are: Jamal Allicock, Raheem Augus (Upper Demerara), Xavi Atkinson, Tyrese Jones (East Bank), Jeremiah Peters, Kareem Caesar (Bartica), Ezekiel Scott, Eron Caesar (Essequibo), Shemar Kingston, Colin Henriques (East Coast), Jermaine Garrett, Shaquon Favorite (Georgetown), Sheldon Cupido, Matrim Martin (Rupununi), Lashawn LaRose and Delon Clark (West Demerara).