Playaz Youth Academy (PYA), a developing sports organization, continues to reach out to the youth across this country in ways that its limited resources allow.
On Sunday, the Academy presented six footballs to Largo Height Football Club which will go towards a youth training programme.
Speaking at a brief handing-over ceremony during a break from a training session at the Largo Height playing field on Sunday morning, PYA founder and talented basketball player Orlando Fergusson outlined how he came to donate the footballs.
Fergussion said he is originally from Largo Height and he had always been thinking of ways he could give back to the community in the area of sports.
He said he observed that veteran football player Clive Lowe, who came close to playing for the national team, had been involved with other senior footballers from the community trying to keep the youth involved in positive activities such as a football training programme, hence the idea came to him.
“They are trying to nurture them; and it’s a good gesture because it’s keeping them out of negativity. I’m all for that,” Fergusson said.
“Helping the youth develop and giving them a chance for the future and giving them opportunities, I’m reall, really happy about that.”
Fergusson said that having spoken with several persons that he knows well, he was able to get some sporting supplies, including footballs.
“So I took that opportunity to get the footballs to help the community of Largo Height because they continue doing the positive with the youths and I will love to be a part of that. Anything to do with youth and youth development, I will love to be a part of that,” he said.
Fergusson said that while living at Largo Height he formed two basketball teams but football is the passion of the people of that community and the PYA will do whatever possible to assist Largo Height with its football development and the Academy will also try to assist other communities wherever and whenever possible.
Clive Lowe, one of the persons involved in nurturing the youth, thanked the PYA for their “kind and worthy gesture.”
“These balls, I assure you, will go a long way in our training. And, it’s really a great pleasure to start the new year off with these balls. I really appreciate. Thank you very much,” Lowe said on behalf of the Largo Height Football Club.
Lowe said his organization has teams in a number of categories: Under 13, Girls, Under 19 and Seniors.
Lowe said the organization is spearheaded by premier coach Raffique Barbour. He said executive also include assistant coach Nicolas Ollivierre, secretary La Tisha Holder, himself as the Club’s manager and … Primus as assistant manager.
The Largo Height Football Club was established around 2012.
Meanwhile, asked about prospective national players, Lowe said that Largo Height has been able to produce two players of national quality in recent times – Jovanni Johnson, a member of the Under 20 team that represented this country in Miami recently; and Cordel Theobalds.
He described Johnson and Theobalds as “the two brightest prospects” in the community.