The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH Empowerment through Sports International (YESI) has joined forces with Rush Soccer, “the largest youth soccer club in the world,” to enhance the passion for soccer in the country and throughout the Caribbean.

For Rush, the Bahamas is the first step of a project intended to expand to other Caribbean countries, including Haiti, Trinidad, Aruba, Jamaica, and Dominican Republic.

Brian Lux is spearheaded to lead the project as the Caribbean technical director. He has a lot of international experience with Rush after participating in a coaching exchange in Cameroon, has attended the last Coaching Education Trip in France and Holland, and recently worked closely with YESI to facilitate the partnership.

“I am very excited about our expansion to the Caribbean and my new position in Rush Soccer. It’s a great opportunity to help grow our club and I will try to add as many islands in the Caribbean as possible to the list,” he said.

The project has already started since Bahamas Rush set up soccer programmes in several schools, including a pilot programme in Cat Island.

“The island has 1,500 inhabitants and around 400 of them are children, so there is huge room for growth,” said Lux. “The ultimate goal of my position in the Caribbean is to spread the Rush way to every island possible to develop clubs Rush partner with to their highest level, and to give kids from the Caribbean opportunities to play with our domestic branches.”

According to YESI founder Happy Hall, the possibilities for aspiring soccer players to achieve their goals in the sport just grew by leaps and bounds with the partnership.

“The partnership with Rush will open up doors for Bahamian kids from seventh grade onwards to live and play in any of their 28 domestic clubs. It will serve as a gateway for consideration by European, MLS & NCAA soccer programmes and as a gateway to tournaments throughout the US,” he said. “They will also play a major role in setting up local tournaments, provide coaching courses, coaching manuals, certificates and support.

“Rush supports youth in developing countries by partnering with Rush soccer clubs, schools, non-profit organisations, and communities to provide soccer uniforms and gear. YESI will be one of the benifactors with the programme set up below. They have already sent uniforms, balls, jerseys and cleats which have been sent off to our programme in North Cat Island,” Lux said.

The Cat Island programme is now integrated into the curriculums at Dumphries Pre K, Orange Creek Primary three times per week for 45 minutes. The next step is to add on Arthur’s Town High School and then move towards the south.

Rush soccer represents over 34,000 youth players in the US with 28 clubs currently affiliated with Rush Soccer in Denver, Colorado Springs, Virginia Beach, Albuquerque, Houston, Kansas City, Anchorage, Honolulu, Detroit, Boise, Memphis, Lexington, Philadelphia/Trenton, Bend (OR), Southern California, Orlando, Seattle, Atlanta, Des Moines, Little Rock, Madison, Bowie (MD), Atlantic City (NJ), Phoenix, Akron (OH), and New York City

International Clubs include Nkomazi, Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, Kenya, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uruguay, Brazil, Thailand, New Zealand and now the Bahamas.