By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
The Digicel Ram’s Village Superstars, in the hopes of producing an U-13 national team and competition, recently launched an Under-13 and Under-15 football Youth Development programme. The programme was named Keithroy Morton Youth Development Program in honour of their recently passed goalkeeper.
This came on the heels of the announcement that Ram’s Trading Ltd. had joined Digicel as the club’s corporate sponsors. Combined, the sponsorship packages value more than EC$43,000.
Team President Franklin Maitland said that Village Superstars also decided to adopt the Dr William Connor Primary School football team, and to provide uniforms and equipment required for it to compete in the annual primary school football competition.
“The club decided last year to adopt the Dr William Connor Primary School football team, and to provide uniforms and equipment they need to compete in the annual primary school football competition. The sponsorship package totalled EC $4,000 and includes 18 uniforms, 2 goalkeeper outfits, 2 pairs of goalkeeper gloves, 18 T-shirts, 5 Polo shirts, 6 soccer balls, 12 bibs, 20 pairs of socks, and 1 team flag. Village Superstars is pleased to advise that its corporate sponsors, Digicel and Ram’s Trading Ltd., have willingly agreed to sponsor the school’s team through their relationship with us,” Maitland said.
He explained that they chose to implement the socially responsible youth development program as the club recognized the many threats and opportunities facing today’s youths, and accepted the challenge to act positively to become an instrument for moulding physical, mental and character development.
“We first launched an Under-15 football competition in the village with five teams from the area including Lime Kiln, Haynes Smith and Trafalgar. In the second year we decided to include teams from St. Peters and Newtown to compete in the competition. The competitions were very productive as our youngsters learned a lot,” he said.
The programme caters to 40-50 youths, both males and females. By starting sport training at such an early age, Maitland said it would help hone and nurture future national and international football stars. The Village Superstars manager concluded that the efforts to develop the national Under 13 and Under 15 teams were a part of the long term plan to compete in regional and possibly international football tournaments.
