GFF’s pilot phase one Summer Camp opened on Wednesday September 20th at the National Technical Training Center (NTTC) in Yundum with a statement from the GFF President Lamin Kabba Bajo.
President Bajo’s official opening statement contained that the first Summer Camp convened by the GFF in collaboration with Secondary Schools Sports Association is part of his Executive’s fulfillment to develop Gambian football. ‘Catch them young is part of our manifesto that is being sold to the stakeholders and as such we need the close collaboration of the education system and the schools to be able to achieve this dream’.
President Bajo advised the students to take the camping with seriousness hence according to him ‘ you are the first cohort of campers at our Football hotel and you must therefore take pride of yourself for being selected among a whole lot of other potential athletes’. He said all the students are been identified by the different Coaches who will continue to follow them up where ever they are. ‘That is our objective so that you will one day put on the National colors of the Gambia to represent the National team. You are all National assets from henceforth’. The GFF Boss finally wished the campers a successful stay at the Football hotel.
Earlier, GFF Grassroots and Youth Manager Ebrima Nyassi congratulated the students for being able to make the shortlist for the first GFF Summer Camp. ‘ We want to thank the GFF and the Schools Sports Association for efforts put together for making this program available to the students’.
Mr Ousman Kebbeh Vice PRESIDENT of School Sports Association on behalf of his President Ismaila Ceesay thanked the GFF and the SSSA for the program. He said the Summer Camp is part of developing Grassroots Football. The five day camp will wrap up on Saturday afternoon.
Forty students across Senior Secondary schools from the KM, Banjul and West Coast Regions are benefitting from the training.
Also at the opening program was GFF 1st Vice PRESIDENT ABDOULIE Star JALLOW, 3rd Vice President Martin GOMEZ, Scorpions Head Coach Sang NDONG, Resource Persons, GFF Coaches from the Technical Department, Ambassadors, Staff of the Secretariat and NTTC as well as the School Sports Association. U17 Head Coach Matarr Mboge is the Lead Coordinator and is overseeing the program.
