Young players get back on the pitch as East Bank tournament resumes

The Grassroots Football Programme, led by Coach Devnon Winter, will resume this Saturday at 16:00hrs at the Eccles EE Ground. The initiative, part of the East Bank Inter-Village Football Tournament organised by Sports Extra, aims to strengthen the foundation for football development in the region, particularly along the East Bank and Soesdyke-Linden Highway corridors.

Winter highlighted the programme’s rapid growth and the enthusiasm of young participants. “We need to encourage lots of grassroots programmes across the country,” he said, adding that with a population approaching one million, Guyana should have at least 100 grassroots initiatives.

He stressed the importance of consistent training and development, calling for more coaches to maintain a balanced player-to-coach ratio and improve training quality. Winter also acknowledged the role of parents, former players, and community volunteers in supporting the programme, which receives backing from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and other organisations.