CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
nOVEMber 2013, Volume 1, Issue 9, Caribbean Football Union Newsletter

 Articles Inside
                                   CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC
                                   Soccer Academy in Barbados

                                                                                                           P   resident of the
                                                                                                               Caribbean Football
                                                                                                           Union (CFU), Gordon
CFU President endorses
Soccer Academy in Barbados.                                                                                Derrick, says the 2013
                                                                                                           Digicel Chelsea Football
                                                                                                           Kick-Start    Academy
                                                                                                           held in Barbados, is a
                                                                                                           pivotal step towards
                                                                                                           the development of
                                                                                                           young players across
                                                                                                           the Region.

                                                                                                 In an interview with the
                                                                                                 CFU Beacon, Mr. Derrick
                                      Participants get their instructions at the Chelsea/Digicel Clinic.
                                   revealed his thoughts about the partnership and explained why the CFU is enthusiastic
CFU’s Sonia Bien-Aime assumes      about supporting the venture.
Executive duties at CONCACAF
                                   “Whenever you can find an established, professional football club such as Chelsea FC and
                                   a dedicated sponsor like Digicel, it is a win-win scenario for all young footballers in the
                                   Caribbean as well as our coaches who have participated. This Academy augurs well for the
                                   U-17 and U-20 competitions being staged next year, as all CFU countries now turn their
                                   attention to Russia 2018. The youth of the CFU are the future of the CFU; with this quality
                                   coaching provided by the academy the future looks extremely promising,” said Mr. Derrick.

                                   The spectacular event took place from November 11 to 16 and involved 39 footballers from
                                   12 countries, gathering at the historic Kensington Oval to be trained by the coaches of the
                                   Chelsea FC Foundation.

Dominica FA pushing ahead with     The Chelsea FC Foundation coaches are not only helping the players, but also dozens
10-year football development       of coaches around the Region – coaches who play a pivotal role in the growth and
plan                               development of the sport.
CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy
in Barbados
                                                                                                                                   According to Senior International Football Development
                                                                                                                                   Officer of the Chelsea FC Foundation, David Monk: “Digicel
                                                                                                                                   and Chelsea FC have invested in numerous grassroots
                                                                                                                                   coaching workshops that have been amazingly beneficial
                                                                                                                                   to the development of coaches and players, who now have
                                                                                                                                   the opportunity to work with one of the biggest football
                                                                                                                                   clubs in the world and also one of the biggest brands in
                                                                                                                                   the world. We are confident that the development of
                                                                                                                                   the Region’s football will continue thanks to the Chelsea
                                                                                                                                   FC Foundation’s partnership with the Digicel Kick Start
                                                                                                                                   Programme.”

                                                                                                                                   During a brief opening ceremony on Monday November
                                                                                                                                   11, Barbados’ Minister of Sport, Hon. Stephen Lashley also
                                                                                                                                   lauded the effort.
 Sports Minister Stephen Lashley converses with Chelsea F.C.’s Snr. Int’l. Football Development Officer David Monk.

   “My Ministry, as part of its Youth Development Programme, utilizes football to bring positive messages to the “block culture”… What
   has been discovered by our Youth Commissioners on the ground, is that football is the sport of interest in our communities and is
   a channel through which sensitization can take place about a myriad of social issues including HIV/AIDS. It also creates a forum in
   which leadership skills can be taught and team spirit built,” the Sports Minister explained.

   President of the Barbados Football Association (BFA), Randy Harris, also commended Digicel for its initiative. “Digicel and Chelsea
   Football Club are definitely making a difference in the quality of football that is being played in the region. I am confident that the
   players who attended the Academy – including our own Barbadian players – will see an improvement in their game.”

   Digicel and Chelsea first started working together in 2012, when Michael Essien, Yossi Benayoun and club Ambassador Graeme Le
   Saux joined Foundation coaches and local children at a Digicel Kick Start clinic in Miami, Florida.

   Digicel Barbados Commercial Director, Alex Tasker, reaffirmed his company’s commitment to the project and extended thanks to
   Chelsea FC for having confidence in the young people of the Region and acknowledging their talents.

   Chelsea Foundation’s International Development Manager, Ian Woodroffe, said that this second year of the three year partnership
   has been beneficial to both parties and to the young players.

   ‘For our part, even over the course of one year, we have seen real development in the focus on football in the Region and that is
   what makes it worthwhile for us. This Region is brimming with talent, and together with Digicel, we want to make sure the structure
   is there for these potential stars of the future to get noticed.”

                                                                                                                      CFU Executive Committee Meeting – Jamaica

                                                                                                                      The Executive Committee of the Caribbean Football Union met in Kingston,
                                                                                                                      Jamaica on November 23, 2013, to review its activities and to consider all
                                                                                                                      matters pertinent to the development of Caribbean football.

                                                                                                                      L-R, Back Row: Larry Mussenden, 2nd Vice-President (Bermuda), Lyndon Cooper,
                                                                                                                      3rd Vice-President (St. Lucia), Canover Watson, 4th Vice-President (Cayman Islands),
                                                                                                                      Anthony Johnson (St. Kitts/Nevis), Sonia Bien-Aime (Turks & Caicos Islands), Hillaren
                                                                                                                      Frederick (US Virgin Islands), Cheney Joseph, 1st Vice-President (Grenada), Maurice
                                                                                                                      Victoire (Martinique). Front Row, seated: Damien Hughes, General Secretary
                                                                                                                      (Anguilla), Gordon Derrick, President (Antigua)

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
CFU’s Sonia Bien-Aime
   CFU’s Soniaappointed
               Bien-Aime     appointed
                        Executive
   Executive Member
              Member ofof  CONCACAF
                         CONCACAF

                                                                          C   aribbean Football Union (CFU) Executive Member and
                                                                              member of FIFA’s Executive Committee, Sonia Bien-Aime,
                                                                          has added another achievement to her impressive career.
                                                                          She was appointed an Executive Committee member of
                                                                          the Confederation of North Central America and Caribbean
                                                                          Association Football (CONCACAF) at its recent Executive meeting
                                                                          held in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

                                                                          In welcoming her to the Executive, CONCACAF President Jeffrey
                                                                          Webb said “It is a great source of pride for CONCACAF that Sonia
                                                                          Bien-Aime is joining its Executive Committee. Her experience
                                                                          and unique perspective will be invaluable as both CONCACAF
                                                                          and FIFA continue to evolve. I applaud Sonia’s accomplishments
                                                                          thus far and know that her impact moving forward will be
                                                                          substantial.”

                                                                          President of the CFU, Gordon Derrick, says Mrs. Bien-Aime’s
                                                                          appointment has marked her out as a phenomenal presence
                                                                          in regional and international football administration. “Sonia
                                                                          continues to make her dynamic impact felt in a male-dominated
                                                                          sport, and we are all the better for it. I am certain that she will
                                                                          persist in the ways of excellence, and we, her Executive and
                                                                          Member Association colleagues at the CFU are proud of her and
                                                                          look forward to our mutually bright future.”

                                                                            Mrs. Bien Aime told the CFU BEACON that she is ready for the
                                                                            opportunities and challenges this new area of service will bring.
                                                                            “I welcome and embrace this responsibility and will continue
                                                                            to provide my best guidance to the development of football, in
Sonia Bien-Aime
                                                                            particular women’s football in the Region. CONCACAF’s decision
          to include the representation of a woman at the top table, speaks volumes about the Confederation and it gives young girls in our
          Region hope and something to dream about.”

     The Turks and Caicos Islands citizen was the Captain of the women’s national football team, and also represented the country
     internationally in track and field and softball. In 2006, she was appointed General Secretary of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football
     Association (TCIFA) and, in 2012, became the first woman elected to an executive position in the Caribbean Football Union.

     Mrs. Bien-Aime is also a member of the Women’s Technical Committee and Deputy Chairperson of the Women’s Championship
     Committee at CONCACAF. She also serves world football through four key standing committees at FIFA: The Organising Committee
     for the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women’s Committee and FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Organizing Committee for the FIFA Under 20
     Women’s World Cup and the Organizing Committee of the FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup.

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
Dominica’s FA pushing forward
with big plans for local and international football

                                                                       I n the midst of financial and other challenges, the Dominica
                                                                         Football Association is planning to elevate its national football
                                                                       to prominence on the regional and international stages.

                                                                       This is part of an ambitious ten-year plan outlined by President of
                                                                       the FA, Glen Etienne, when the BEACON spoke with him about the
                                                                       current realities and future prospects for the country’s football.

                                                                       Mr. Etienne says the FA is addressing one of its most vexing
                                                                       problems: a lack of a Home stadium facility to stage tournaments
                                                                       and to facilitate teams’ training needs. “Normally, we use Windsor
                                                                       Park, but it is not a facility which is always available to us when
                                                                       we need it. We need our own, dedicated facility that will allow
                                                                       us to, among other things, collect revenue for games so we can
                                                                       reinvest in our domestic projects. Many of the fields around the
                                                                       country are open, and do not lend themselves to the possibility
                                                                       of paid spectator access. With this in mind, we have identified
                                                                       and prepared land in Stockfarm, and have applied to FIFA for
                                                                       development assistance…all things being well, we think we will
                                                                       have a new home ground sometime in 2014.”
 President of the Dominica Football Association, Glen Etienne

     According to Mr. Etienne, the completion of the facility will also assist in the Association’s quest to expand its major sponsorship
     base from the current two, Domlec and LIME. “We are extremely grateful for their support, but they can’t do it alone. We are running
     three Leagues without any form of sponsorship at this time, and we are particularly keen on having our Grass Roots Programmes
     sponsored.”

     This is the feeder into the competitions currently being contested in Dominica: the LIME Premier League and the Domlec Women’s
     League, the latter of which will now feature two new teams, the Mahaut Soca Strikers and the Laplain Girls.

     With regard to national football, the Dominica FA wants to ensure that the country’s current FIFA ranking of 169 is significantly
     improved within ten years, and says the licensing of the island’s coaches to the highest level through current collaborations with
     CONCACAF and the US Soccer Federation, will be fundamental to the development of the men’s and women’s teams.

     “We intend to build a new national team, and have our sights on participating in a wide array of competitions: the Under-15,
     Under-17, Olympic qualifiers, World Cup qualifiers, Caribbean Cup, and the Windward Island Tournament. In relation to Women’s
     football, we intend to make our presence felt in the Under-15 Olympic qualifiers and FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

     In the next decade, Dominca’s football teams will be among the top five in the CONCACAF, the talent is there and we just need to
     continue to develop partnerships to ensure that the very best male and female talent is extracted, to ensure the greater glory of
     our football.”

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
Bermuda’s                   Nahki          Wells                                                      CFU
returns to goal scoring form in English domestic football                                             Member Associations

                                                                 A   sensational hat-trick by
                                                                     Bermudian striker Nahki
                                                                 Wells inspired his League One
                                                                 club Bradford City to earn a 3-3
                                                                 draw and a share of the points
                                                                 as they seek promotion this
                                                                 season.

                                                                 The 23 year old Bermudian
                                                                 returned to the game late
                                                                 last month after going off
                                                                 during Bradford’s match
                                                                 against Shrewsbury Town on
                                                                 September 28 when he took a
                                                                 hard knock to the foot causing
                                                                 ligament damage.
   Bermuda’s Nahki Wells

Playing at their Valley Parade home Ground on November 17 against Coventry, it was the
visitors who took an early 2-0 lead inside of seven minutes, but Wells was equal to the task as
he netted in the 17th and 28th minutes.

Coventry again took the lead in the 42nd minute thanks to Callum Wilson and seemed destined
to take the full three points from the game. However, in the final minute of stoppage time, a long
pass forward from Stephen Darby saw Jordan Clarke, under heavy pressure from Bradford City’s
James Hanson, inexplicably handle the ball inside his own area.

Wells stepped up to the spot and calmly hammered home the penalty ensuring the 3-3 result
which leaves the Bantams, who last recorded a league win on October 5, in seventh spot, two
points outside the play-off places.

Wells’ 26 goals last season helped Bradford earn promotion from League Two.

It was the first time the Bermudian international had hit the target in two months, since his brace
earned Bradford a 2-2 draw against Colchester on September 14.

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
Meet the Team - CFU Staff Members

A
s the Caribbean Football Union moves to provide greater levels of service to its Member Associations, partners and
friends, the BEACON uses this opportunity to introduce the CFU’s staff service team.

          Judith Anderson                     Krista-Kaye Lalor                        Marilyn Brown
            Director of Finance                  Accounting Clerk                      Marketing Manager
         janderson@cfufootball.org             klalor@cfufootball.org                 mbrown@cfufootball.org

                                                                                         Debra Shaw
        Beverly Melbourne                     John-Mark Evans             Executive Assistant/Human Resources Manager
              Media Officer                       Venue Manager                       dshaw@cfufootball.org
        bmelbourne@cfufootball.org             jevans@cfufootball.org

                                               Latoya Dacosta
                                              Director of Competitions
                                              ldacosta@cfufootball.org

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
Our Partners

For further information please contact the CFU General Secretariat, CFU Communications Dept
                The Towers – 10th Floor • 25 Dominica Dr • Kingston 5 • Jamaica
     Tel: +1(876) 754-4411 / 4657 • Fax: +1(876) 906-2973 • Email: media@cfufootball.org

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CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados CFU endorses Digicel/ Chelsea FC Soccer Academy in Barbados
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