FC Ginga's young footballers shine

SPENDING time with teammates, cheering when one scores a goal and the general experience on the field make football worthwhile.

Children enjoy the sport not only for the joy it brings but because it's a career path many wish to pursue.

Kyle Dwarika, coach of the under-six and -eight teams at Football Club Ginga, said, "If you ask anyone of my players about their goals in football they all would say I want to be like the great (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo or 17-year-old Spanish star Lamine Yamal.

"They want to be professionals, no doubt about that."

FC Ginga, on its official website, says its motto reflects their determination for success: "Through Discipline We Achieve Success."

Dwarika said some goals of the team are to achieve national selection, win scholarships, improve the standard of TT football and protect the youths from being involved in illegal activities, among many other aims.

Located in Constantine Park, Macoya, the club was founded in 2017 by Stefon Pierre and has had multiple achievements throughout the years.

The club trains under-six to under-23 footballers.

Though focus may be a challenge when training u-6 and u-8 footballers, Dwarika said, "They are kids at the end of the day, sometimes it can be challenging as a coach to deal with them but I would say most of them are discipline enough to take instructions. There are some troublesome ones that I may need to speak to more often but overall they are discipline players."

The-under eight team won the 2024 Kick it With Karyn tournament in Tobago in June and the 2024 All Stars National League Central Zone competition on June 30 at Homeland Gardens, Cunupia.