Berbice High School is in the Digicel Schools Football Tournament to win it, says Manager and Physical Education Teacher, Zahir Moakan.
Moakan in an interview with Stabroek Sport via telephone yesterday said that the squad of twenty-five has been in training for close to three months, as they had participated in two tournaments – the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) tournament and the Daniel Singh Memorial.
Those competitions, he said, gave the squad a chance to test their skills level in preparation for the much anticipated Digicel Schools Tournament scheduled to start in the middle of June.
“The boys are dedicated as hell and they understand what this competition means for them.”The team, he said, did not win the NAPS tournament and so they are working hard to ensure that they win this competition. The Digicel Schools Tournament, he said, is being viewed as ‘a make up tournament’. Moakan also said that they have the full support of their head teacher Jennifer Rollins, who tries her best to ensure that the boys have everything they need to be fully prepared.
“Last year we were out in the round of sixteen and she expects us to do great things this year.”
The squad of twenty-five comprises students from the 2nd to 5th forms but only four fifth formers are a part of the squad. “We were a little skeptical about selecting fifth formers as they are preparing for exams and as such their practice times are limited.”
Moakan said, however, that the four are attached to football clubs and the coach, Neil Humphrey, has worked out a schedule with them as they are still involved in training with their clubs.
Humphrey, a former national player, has been working hard to ensure that the players have the required amount of training sessions and practice matches to get them ready for the tournament. Humphrey, he added, was instrumental in the school competing in the two tournaments.
