Former national junior football coach Dennis `Chow’ Hunte was selected to be the representative of Special Olympics Guyana (SOG) at a football coaches workshop in Puerto Rico from February 21–23.

The Special Olympics organization is a voluntary, non-charitable organization that provides yearly training and competition in Olympic type sports for males and females over the age of eight years with intellectual disabilities.

National Director for SOG stated that because of Hunte’s extensive knowledge of the sport through being a qualified coach and because he has voluntarily been working with athletes affiliated with SOG for over five years he was selected.

The workshop will consist of other Special Olympic programmes for participants within the Caribbean. It will also seek to get coaches to foster organized training and development in football with the SO programme.

Spencer stated that it is expected that upon Hunte’s return he will recruit and train coaches who will in turn help out with the athletes and more importantly recruit more SO athletes.

Added to that, Hunte will be qualified to effectively plan and organize competitions.

When Hunte spoke to Stabroek Sport he stated that he was elated to be asked to undertake the task.

He (Hunte) has worked with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MYS&C) for over a decade and was once coach of Pele, Georgetown Airways Corporation and Lethem clubs.

Meanwhile, the organization is in preparation for the June 2011 Special Olympics in Athens, Greece.

However, they are still soliciting funds to ensure their participation. Persons interested in helping could contact President of the Association, Affeeze Khan (624-0041) or Wilton Spencer (623-4673) or make a donation to the Bank of Baroda  Account No. 3018.