Two of T&T’s most beautiful and talented women in sports have assigned themselves the task of becoming social champions for underprivileged youths with the singular aim of nurturing them to become models citizens.
Maylee Attin-Johnson, captain or the T&T senior women’s football team and sports physician Dr Tonya Welch jointly unveiled individuals people powered project at the VIP Lounge at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium in Woodbrook, yesterday.
The dianaTon Foundation is the name given to Dr Welch’s organisation, while the footballer’s project was called The Attin-Johnson Initiative.
While the former charity was developed on the grounds of the need for more focused guidance for youth, particularly young women, the latter aimed to act as an advocate of peace, unity and resilience through sport.
Dr Welch said: “In life everyone goes through difficult times. Growing up, I have always had a support system, through family and close friends and I always wonder how people without the support system, go through life. There were many times when I made a promise to myself that one day I will create a platform for people who didn’t have what I had to get the help. It is the sincere hope that this Foundation, as well as Maylee’s Foundation would create that platform for some people who may not have been as lucky as I have been.”
“One of the main goals of the Foundation would be to help people who have been paralysed or debilitated by trauma or by accident and who need the help to get through life: to just give them that help, whether it be by wheelchair or the occupational therapy or the physical therapy or the medical help that they need just to be able to get by; because there are so many people living amongst us who are disabled and it breaks my heart to look at them and see the difficulties that so of the face.”
Dr Welch described Attin-Johnson as an “amazing woman, with an amazing future,” and went on to declare that the courage and the drive of the footballer as a motivator.
Attin Johnson said she had been a voice of varying causes, but never her own and that the time for such an initiative was right.
“I think it is about time! I am getting (too) old to be continuing playing football at a high level. It (the charity) was something I went ahead and did. My first initiative is the iron woman event, where I put on clinics for young girls at an earlier age
I started playing football around 11, 12 (years old) which is relatively an old age to start football or any sport. I want to create an Adopt-A-Kid Programme where you go and see who is in need and try and facilitate them and gave them hope to get out of their situation,” she said.
Former national footballer and coach Everald “Gally” Cummings, who was at the launch endorsed the projects.
As co-host of a show called Field of Dreams, Cummings said he got to know her and what I realised they had a lot in common.
“We have the same kind of attitude towards the T&T Football Association (TTFA). She is not afraid to speak her mind. She is passionate about the sport and she is very honest and truthful and this is how I have always been and I think that connected us.
“When she invited me to this some weeks ago, I put off everything to be here. I haven’t seen many footballers around, but one thing I know, I had to be present today. She has the ability to motivate people. She is a true leader in the sense of leadership, because she is not afraid to stand up for her players.
“She is very young. She could be my daughter, but I have learnt to respect her. I am very happy that I came here today. I will definitely talk to her and see in what area I can help in spreading the word,” he said.
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Attin-Johnson, Dr Welch launch Foundations.
T&T Newsday Reports.
NATIONAL women football captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, as well as former team doctor Dr Tonya Welch, launched their respective Foundations during a joint media conference at the VIP Lounge, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo yesterday.
The Attin-Johnson Initiative will serve as a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) while the dianaTon Foundation, started by Dr Welch, “was developed on the grounds of the need for more focused guidance for youth, particularly young women”.
The 29-year-old Attin-Johnson, who have been involved in the national women’s team for over a decade, gave the strongest indication that she is looking at other ventures, once her playing career is over.
“I’ve always remember being told if I put the commitment and passion that I have for football into anything else, it will surely be a success,” she said. “As scary as it may seem, I am eager to discover new adventures.”
Concerning the Attin-Johnson Initiative, the easy-going Attin-Johnson stated, “my focus and the main objective of this Foundation is to establish, operate and promote peace, unity and resilience through sport; to conduct and to promote a healthy lifestyle through sporting activities; and to assist society in a successful development of a golden future, focusing on the physical and social lives of under-privileged youths, empowering them to become heroes of excellence.”
She pointed out, “in retrospect, I realise there is more to life than just football, and it’s not always about Maylee Attin- Johnson, and it’s about empowering others.”
Attin-Johnson extended her gratitude to God, her family and friends for assisting her towards her new venture.
In a subsequent interview, she admitted, “I could have gone into some other business venture but this is what warms my heart.
I think if I can change one young girl’s or young boy’s life, I’ve served a purpose.”
Asked how her Initiative was conceptualised, Attin-Johnson replied, “I have to thank Lorraine Ferguson, she was definitely one who pushed for me to actually get everything done.
Honestly, it just came about. I’ve always been able to go and do motivational speaking, but never under my own initiative.
“I think it was time. I’m getting old, to continue playing football at a high level. So it’s just something that I went straight ahead and do.”
And she expects to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. “My first initiative will be the Iron Woman event where I’ll put on a clinic for young girls at an earlier age, because I started playing football at 11, which is relatively an old age to start football, or any sport.”
Attin-Johnson added, “I want to create an “adopt a child” programme where you go and see who is in need, try and facilitate them and give them hope to get out of their situation.”
Dr Welch, who worked with the national women’s team during their unsuccessful 2015 FIFA World Cup campaign, said, “growing up, I’ve always had a support system with family and close friends. And I’ve wondered how people, without such support, get through that.”
She continued, “there were many times that I promised myself that one day I would create a platform for people who didn’t have what I had. It’s my sincere hope that this Foundation, as well as Maylee’s Foundation, will create that platform for some people who may not have been as lucky as I have been.”
Other speakers at yesterday’s media conference were Vishani Murally, a current Miss TT World contestant; and Attin- Johnson’s former teammate Jinelle James, who is presently the media officer of the TT Women’s League Football (WoLF).