Another new coach

24 Apr 2010 | Rugby

Freeport, Bahamas - Barbados World Cup player Matthew Joseph completes the roster of top coaching talent which has been recruited to work with Grand Bahama youngsters at this year’s Sir Jack Hayward Soccer Camp.The 37-year-old international defender is now a full-time senior pro coach having completed more than 400 English league games for Leyton Orient and Cambridge United. He started his career with famous London club Arsenal and was player of the year in three out of his four seasons at Orient.He is now responsible for a team of coaches developing soccer skills in young people in an area of the UK - East London and the county of Essex - with a population of almost two million. That’s more than six times the number of people living in the Bahamas.“In our job we get to work with kids of all ages and different abilities and it really broadens your horizons. We have a massive responsibility - to give children the best guidance and understanding we can possibly give them,” he said.“In the game itself we aim to introduce to kids fundamental skills such as balance and co-ordination while getting them comfortable off and on the ball and developing their understanding of the game generally.“We want them to really express themselves and enjoy playing soccer. That will be my mission in Grand Bahama. ”The highlight of Matthew’s career was playing against the USA in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. Barbados was defeated but the USA went on to the quarter finals in South Korea and Japan, only to be defeated by the eventual tournament runners up Germany. Matthew was born in the Bethnal Green area of London but his parents’ Barbadian background qualified him to become a member of the famous “Bajan Pride” – the island’s national team.Prior to turning out for them, though, he had already won 16 youth caps playing for England. Matthew, lead coach Jamie Godbold and fellow newcomer Sarah Green are giving up vacation time to fly in to Freeport to pass on their skills and soccer knowledge in improving the game among young people on the island.“I am genuinely excited by the quality of the coaches we have coming this year. In our seven years we have always had top class people but the blend we are able to bring to Grand Bahama in 2010 has to be the best yet,” said camp organiser Richard Malcolm.“What makes it particularly excellent is that they are specialists not just in soccer coaching but in bringing out the best in young people.“They will make sure the kids have a fantastic, fun time as well as exposing them to the latest soccer ideas. The latter will also be a big bonus for our volunteer local coaches. We have more than 20 who give up their time for the camp and the visitors will be passing on their skill and knowledge to them, too.”The camp takes place from Monday, June 21, to Friday, June 25, at the extended playing fields of Freeport Rugby Football Club, East Settlers Way. Campers get lunch each day as well as two full sets of uniform, the top level coaching and the chance of a cooling lunchtime swim in the club pool.Registration is $175 and forms can be found on this website (attached below) or collected from Town & Country, Yellow Pine Street, and Animale, Port Lucaya. More information about the camp can be had from derek.archer1@gmail.com It is not too early to register because it is first come, first served and numbers are pegged at 180.

New coach for summer camp

24 Apr 2010 | Rugby

Freeport, Bahamas - History will be made at this year’s Sir Jack Hayward Grand Bahama Soccer Camp, now in its seventh highly-successful year.It will feature the event’s first full-time professional female soccer coach. Her name is Sarah Green and she works for the London-based Football Association as part of its drive to take kids and turn them into international players of the future.The camp’s 180 attendees split roughly equally between boys and girls but Sarah is at home coaching both and in fact leads mixed classes on a daily basis.She follows a long line of top-line coaches the camp has attracted from the UK, the country where what is the world’s biggest sport was invented, including leading former international players and media experts as well as full timers. She will be working alongside Jamie Godbold who is returning after being lead coach for the last two years during which he has made himself a firm favourite with local children.Jamie GodboldJamie is currently nursing a broken jaw, sustained scoring a goal for his league-leading team, for whom he has been leading scorer for several years, but will be fully fit for the camp.Sarah is already well-qualified but is also well on the way to completing the range of courses which will lead to her earning the highest level coaching license granted by EUFA, the international governing body for soccer. She is also a player, having turned out regularly for the ladies team of the famous UK pro soccer club Nottingham Forest as well as being assistant director of its girls’ centre of excellence. She still plays midfield for her local team.Her 12-year career includes, as does Jamie’s, time spent coaching in the US but it will be her first visit to the Bahamas and she is very excited. Speaking this week from the city of Leicester, where she is currently working, she said: “I am really looking forward to working with the local coaches and the children. I am also really looking forward to relaxing on the beaches afterwards!”The camp runs from June 21 until June 25 and as usual will be hosted by the Freeport Rugby Football Club on East Settlers Way, using the extensive playing and practice pitches. Organisers are expecting the usual turnout of almost 200 kids for many of whom it is the high point of the year.The price is being held at $175 for the fourth year in a row, reflecting the tough times people are experiencing on the island. For that the youngsters get lunch, fruit morning and afternoon, six hours of coaching a day as well as lunchtime swimming for those whose who want a cooling dip, two full sets of uniforms, and a monogrammed camp T-shirt, making it the best value summer camp package – and about a third of the cost of similar events in the US. And any surplus is ploughed back into developing youth sport on the island.Registration forms can be found on this website (link below) and are also available from Town and Country in Yellow Pine Street, Freeport, and Animale, at Port Lucaya. They can also be had by emailing derek.archer1@gmail.com

Sad news

25 Feb 2010 | Rugby

> I have just received a note from his widow that Sid Mahony, our 2nd (greatly respected and affectionately remembered) President, died in 2009 aged 102 years! > > He had been a member of Dolphin Rugby Club, Cork, Munster as a player before retiring. He then worked for Billy Butlin when Billy built the Resort in West End. Subsequently Sid worked in Freeport for Mr. Diamond whose properties he managed before returning to Ireland. > > The last photo I have of him, aged 98, showed him in the company of several other former Dolphin players in their 90s – obviously something in the Guinness. > > I’ve written suitably to his widow, Lilian. > > Regards, > > Christopher Cafferata > > P.S. Sid came to every Freeport home match with oranges for both teams!