The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas has been selected by CONCACAF for a pilot programme to develop grass soccer in the primary schools.

Bahamas Football Association technical director Gary Markham confirmed that CONCACAF will have two representatives in town to meet with the BFA, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology as well as the physical education teachers to discuss their plans for the formation of the programme that will be sponsored by Scotiabank.

CONCACAF, the biggest sporting body for soccer in the region, will be represented by Andre Waugh and Jay Roberts as they discuss the avenue to introduce the sport to the primary schools in their bid to increase the participation of players from the bottom to the top.

Markham said once the meeting is concluded on Thursday, they will decide on how to proceed with the programme that should run for about 6-8 weeks at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Centre at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

"We are going into the primary schools so that we can get to the grass root and develop from the ground to the top," Markham said. "In terms of development, it's a great step in the right direction to get more people to play the sport.

"It's such an easy game, it's a cheap game, in terms of the equipment that you need," Markham stressed.

"It's important that we begin to develop the younger generation to play the game."

Once they get the programme off the ground within a month or two and they conclude with a festival, Markham said they intend to put it as a fixture on the primary schools sporting calendar in September and it will culminate with the primary schools' soccer championships.

"We believe that if we can get some more people playing the sport, we can increase the participation of the sport at every level," Markham stressed.

"But we want to start from the bottom and work our way up to the top.

"That is the reason why we are putting our emphasis on this grass root programme. We believe that we can get a lot of the schools to get involved and that is why we are having the meeting with the physical education teachers and the Ministry of Education."

Joining the BFA and CONCACAF executives at the meeting in the boardroom of the Ministry of Education on Thursday will be Dawn Knowles, the Ministry's sports director for Primary Schools, along with at least one PE teacher from the various schools.

Markham said a representative from Scotiabank is also expected to be in attendance as they explain their involvement in the programme.

Markham said that Scotiabank is making a significant financial contribution to the pilot programme.

Based on the success of the programme here, Markham said CONCACAF is hoping that they can take the model to other countries in the region where they hope to see an increase in the participation of players in the grass soccer arena.