The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) staged a one-day goalkeeping workshop Thursday at the National Training Centre, Providence in an effort to improve the capacity of the Academy Training Centres.
This is according to a release from the federation. According to the correspondence, the seminar focused on goalkeeping fundamentals and was conducted by GFF goalkeeping coach, Eon DeViera and GFF Coaching Education Officer, Lyndon France.
“The theoretical and practical workshop was attended by 24 enthusiastic coaches from the GFF’s nine regional associations who expressed their continued commitment to improving their goalkeeping skills. The workshop included classroom modules on developing goalkeeping practice structures, training techniques and session plans, as well as fieldwork focusing on positioning, types of catches and distribution,” the release from the federation stated.
DeViera, during brief remarks, said, “This is a very important course as part of the drive the GFF is currently undertaking with respect to getting football growing and coaches and players equipped to be able to move forward in the right direction come 2022 and beyond.”
Technical Director Ian Greenwood said the GFF plans to have specialized goalkeeping coaches at the ATCs.
“The main aim is for each of the regional Academy Training Centres to have a specialised goalkeeping coach. We have a couple of very strong goalkeeping coaches with the national teams and we want to ensure that the Academy Training Centres follow the same structure,” he said. Assistant Technical Director of the GFF, Bryan Joseph acknowledged that the participants will not become experts overnight.
“I hope they return to their respective environments and make an impact, host sessions, and seize every opportunity to work on the things they would’ve learned and develop the players out there,” he declared. Meanwhile, West Demerara Football Association coach Yonette Hector pointed out the benefits of the sessions, adding, “When I go back to my team, I will be able to show them the basics of coaching.”
Also, East Bank Demerara Football Association coach Andre Gibbs stated that his attendance was rooted in improving his knowledge of the goalkeeping skillset.