Former T&T greats, Leroy DeLeon and Lincoln Phillips, turned back the clock on Saturday morning as they accompanied 160 children between the ages of six and 12 at the Youth Football Community clinic hosted by the Football Association, Chevrolet and OneWorldfutbol at the Wattley Recreation Ground in Techier Village, Point Fortin.
Both stalwarts assisted instructor Muhammad Isa at the close to two-hour session in which the youngsters were taught the fundamentals of the game using the Chevrolet indestructible footballs. Phillips, former technical director of the local governing body, will also conduct a goalkeeping course for local coaches.
He was excited about being part of the TTFA initiative which has seen clinics held in Paramin, Blanchisseuse, Manzanilla and Point Fortin and will enter Morvant on Saturday with national players Densill Theobald and Ataullah Guerra slated to be present at the Morvant Recreation Ground, Coconut Drive from 9:30 am.
“I came for Carnival also but this is something that brings music to my ears. To see the kids involved and everything organised with the Chevrolet footballs and all. I feel great to be part of it.
“I am back in the United States now but I think about T&T every day and whatever I can do to help develop football and life here I’m happy about it,” Phillips revealed. “I am always looking for accessories that will improve football and goalkeeping so we will be working with a new machine that I have brought down to help improve goalkeepers.
I want to introduce it here to our local goalkeepers,” Phillips continued. DeLeon described the initiative as “awesome” but hoped it would be sustained. “This reminds me of 100 years ago when I first started playing the game in little groups like this.
“And it’s good for me to come out and be part of this. I’m a lover of football and I want to see these kids out here because I don’t want to see them on the streets. This is very gratifying. I think it’s something awesome.”
“What I want to see is the programme being sustained and not just be a one off. Too many programmes we just show our faces and then there’s no continuation. “I spoke to Muhammad Isa about this and I’m willing to do anything I can to assist with initiatives like this,” the 66-year-old former Washington Darts and Seattle Sounders player added.
Part of the campaign also includes the TTFA through an alliance with OneWorldFutbol and Chevrolet distributing ten indestructible footballs to (each) schools and groups from the area.
Among those receiving balls on Saturday were Point Fortin ASJA, Salazar Trace Government, Guapo Government, Fanny Village Government, Cap-de-Ville Government, Point Fortin RC, Point Fortin AC, Egypt Government, Point Fortin Civic Centre Youth Development and the sports coordinator on behalf of the Point Fortin Borough Corporation.