In its continuous effort to create more awareness in women’s football participation as enshrined in the National Football Development Plan (NFDP), The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) has yet again conducted another girls football festival in Sukuta, West Coast Region, on Saturday June 22 with more than 25 school going girls participating.
The programme is been jointly coordinated by the Director of The Gambia-German Football Development Project, Monica Staab, GFF regional coach for the Kombo Region and physical education teachers at Sukuta Lower Basic School. The festival, eye-marked for kids within the age bracket of 12, took the form of sided games where children were inducted into basic techniques of ball control, passing, kicking and playing amongst each other. The event lasted for two hours.
Speaking to www.gambiaff.org, Monika Staab hailed the GFF and local partners for their commitment in promoting women’s football in the country and urged parents and Government to create opportunities and possibilities for young girls in achieving their dreams of becoming world football stars.
Katherine Grafan, Head of International Relations Department of the German Olympics Sports Confederation, who was also in attendance to access the progress of the programme, said the project initiated by The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) has achieved great success. She hailed all the partners, including the Ministry of Youth & Sports (MOYS) and the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education (MOBSE) as well as local partners for their tremendous support in promoting women’s football. She thanked the German Federal Foreign Office for funding the project, which she described as successful.
Sanna Jassey, a physical education teacher and coach of the Sukuta LBS girls’ team expressed delight to the GFF in choosing his school. “This is the only way we can boost and nurture talents and is evident that girls can also play as good as the boys,” he said.
The programme ended with a presentation of three match balls to the school which is meant to be used by the girls’ football team.
The Gambia-German Women’s Football Development Project will last for two years but could be extended to four years based on the success of the initial agreement. The project has made significant success within the short period and aims to target regions, schools, enhance capacity building of coaches and female referees and structural adjustment all geared towards the promotion of women/grassroots football in the country.
