President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde has donated several pieces of football equipment to emerging football entity Coomacka United Football Club following his maiden visit to the Amerindian community on Sunday, which is located 15 miles from the mining town of Linden.
According to a release from the GFF, Forde presented footballs, boots, bibs and cones to the club President Renison ‘Suki’ Rawlins.
In attendance were Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) President and GFF Executive Member Terrence Mitchell, former National Coach Jimmy McLean, former Golden Jaguar Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams, current Assistant Senior National Coach Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard and GFF Youth Development Officer and former national player, Bryan Joseph.
Forde during brief remarks said, “Our core purpose is to serve football and to serve the stakeholders of football. We’re here to listen and to see the opportunity where we can intervene and improve things. To improve a situation from where it might be to where it can be.”
He opined that the atmosphere witnessed during Coomacka’s semifinal match in the previously staged UDFA Year-End Championship, was one of the most electrifying scenes in recent memory.
“The excitement and the involvement of the community into the game was a very memorable experience and I was immediately moved by it and I started to make some enquiries as to what is responsible for this club, which seems to be in a bit of a community bubble but yet kept coming out and competing as well as they did against some of the more established clubs in Linden,” he said.
“It’s just the spirit that people bring to the game; the spirit and passion that really drive football forward. So we are here today to do exactly what the GFF was conceived to do when it was formed in 1909 and that is to serve the members,” he added.
Meanwhile, UDFA President Mitchell stated that he was proud of the strides and exploits achieved by the team following their brief two year registration with the association.
“Linden started to see a new talented team in the form of the CUFC; we saw young men with speed and fans very animated and vocal. So Coomacka made that impact into football in a short space of time and what we saw, we see a long future of football in the area,” said Mitchell.
“When they come out to support at the Mackenzie Sports Club, they take up half the stands and that is good, we love that. So, to the supporters, to the executive, to the players, keep doing what you are doing and do even more and push to be the number one club in Linden. Don’t stop at Linden, be the number one club in the country,” he added.
Similarly, President Rawlins during brief remarks, thanked the GFF for their timely gesture, positing, “Our club is doing well so far and we will try our best with the inputs into our club so that we can climb higher and reach the number one spot in Linden; that’s what we are aiming for.”
