The British Virgin Islands Football Association (BVIFA) will be re-launching the Digicel Sponsored Centre of Excellence from January 23, 2016 with a series of Age Group Try Outs. Photo: Provided

National Teams will be picked predominantly from within the Digicel Centre of Excellence as the BVIFA’s Player Pathway. Photo: Provided

The Digicel Centre of Excellence will not only establish the Player Pathway, but also serve as an ideal environment for Coaching Development. Photo: Provided

The first of such sessions will be held for pre-selected U13 Boys and Girls at The Millicent Mercer Recreation Grounds in Baughers Bay on January 23, 2016 whilst the U9’s and U11’s will be invited to attend on January 30, 2016 at the same venue.

U15 and U17 Boys and Girls will be contacted directly to attend from January 30, 2016 at a venue to be confirmed.

The Digicel Centre of Excellence will also have an identical programme on Virgin Gorda at the Recreation Ground.

“The FA is delighted to continue the relationship with Digicel and partner with them to support our youths,” commented BVIFA Technical Director, Katie Rowson. “The Digicel Centre of Excellence will be arranged in two blocks of 5-6 weeks each to allow for Easter and will be a focus point for National Age Group Team selections.”

Whilst not precluding anyone in the process, those National Teams will be picked predominantly from within the Digicel Centre of Excellence as the BVIFA’s Player Pathway.

“The U9’s, 11’s and 13’s will focus largely on technical skills with lots of 1 v 1 challenges and small sided games,” noted Rowson. “The U13’s will also be introduced to principles and philosophies of attacking and defending, whilst at the U15 and U17 levels we will concentrate more on our style of play specific to competing at regional and international levels. Overall we will be now looking to establish a style of play for all the BVI National teams.”

The Digicel Centre of Excellence will not only establish the Player Pathway, but also serve as an ideal environment for Coaching Development.

Outside the likes of Rowson and Avondale Williams, the BVIFA also has seven recently qualified Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) “D” License Coaches and will be holding another course February 18-21, 2016, to further increase the “workforce.”

Already 12 have signed up for the CONCACAF “D” License which covers a vast array of topics, including the role of coach/educators, the principles of coaching, health and safety, practical sessions, small sided games, technical/tactical training and of course various tests and exams on all that had been covered.

“Having trained coaches is an integral part of what we are trying to achieve within the Centre of Excellence,” stated Rowson. “It is very important that the youths get correct training and become technically proficient in the right environment. The better trained our coaches, then the better our players can become.”