Laylor takes football back to basics
Published:Wednesday | May 29, 2024 | 12:10 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
IN AN effort to give youngsters at the basic school level an early introduction into organised football, David Laylor and his Next Generation Football Foundation will be putting on a one-day competition in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Centre of Community Outreach and Development (CCOD) tomorrow at the UWI Bowl, starting at noon.
Laylor said the UWI regularly hosts camps for children at the primary level in various activities, and he saw an opportunity to help youngsters at an even earlier level to learn and understand some of the rudiments of the game.
“UWI has free youth programmes for youths in and around inner-city communities and they run camps with them.
“However, this time around we said we wanted to do something with the basic schools.
“They do it (early introduction) with track and field but I want to do it with football because that is my thing and I want to give back through football in that way to them.
“So right now, I have been going around to the different schools and trying to teach them the game and give them an early introduction,” he explained.
Six schools will participate in the inaugural competition, but according to Laylor, the intention is to expand it to include schools from a wider geography.
“This Thursday it will take place at the UWI Bowl, starting at 12 p.m. We will run a one-day tournament and then look to expand it.
“We will start with six schools in and around the August Town community, with the University having a few of these schools as well.
“So we want to start with them, then extend it to Common, Providence, Methodists (basic schools), and all the others that are around as a means of expanding it further.
“So what we are envisioning is a big basic school tournament. So this will be a one-day and the next one in the summer, we might have over two days, and get them on a good field so they can play.”