Firm foundations are being laid to recapture the past glories of Mayaro football through the bpTT Mayaro Football Vacation Camp conducted at the Mayaro Resource Centre.
Conducted by former national football player, Devon Bobb over the school vacation, the camp was hailed as a great success when the young participants were rewarded with certificates of participation in a graduation ceremony last week.
"This is the second year that we're running this camp and I am completely impressed with the rich talent that resides in the Mayaro region. I am sure that there are national football stars in this community and this camp has given them the opportunity to develop their talent," said Bobb, an accredited coach with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF).
The camp was fully sponsored by energy company BP Trinidad and Tobago, with participation from over 30 young boys and girls from across the south-eastern community, ranging from five to 19 years old.
The camp was so highly recognised, that several bpTT Mayaro Football League teams, including Mayaro Spurs, Little Brazil and MayGuaya United, enlisted their youth players.
Ronda Francis, Corporate Responsibility Manager, bpTT, said of the participants in the camp: "BPTT has always supported the young people of Mayaro and environs in areas including academics, sports, culture and the arts. We firmly believe that our talented young people will usher a better and brighter future for this nation. It is our hope that these kids explore their full potential and simply become the best that they can be. Their energy drives us forward and that is why bpTT will always be there to support them."
The participants were exposed to training in the rudiments of football, including endurance, passing, trapping and shooting, as well as exposure to drills and transitions. As part of the clinic, the children were also given advice on general life skills such as discipline, punctuality and teamwork.
Talented eight-year-old Levi Adolphus, a pupil of St Thomas RC, related: "I can't even begin to list how many things I learned. I have better football skills but this camp really means more than that to me. I've made friends and learned the value of teamwork because football is a team sport. Because of this camp I feel that I am a better player and a person, too."