Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis — The St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) is continuing its focus on grassroots sports development, recently hosting a series of workshops for Physical Education instructors on Nevis.
The sessions, led by SKNFA Technical Director Giba Damiano, focused on providing teachers with new ideas and practical activities designed to develop fundamental skills among students and young athletes.
“This week it was great that we could share experiences. There’s so many people here with bundles of experience, you know, 10 years, 15 years, 17 years of experience within schools. And we created a set of games that aligns with PE curriculums in St. Kitts and Nevis that can be used for many different purposes.”
Damiano explained that the activities were built around four key areas of Physical Education: social development, motor skills, health and well-being, and safety. The exercises included activities designed to improve agility, balance, coordination, acceleration, deceleration and changes of direction — skills that can benefit students across a range of sports. For the SKNFA, the initiative also forms part of a longer-term approach to football development, recognizing that the pathway to national team selection begins at the grassroots level.
“Selection for national team starts in school. A national team player needs to be able to have good coordination, good agility, good change of direction — all the basic skills that a PE session can teach a kid, and that is transferable to football in so many different aspects.”
For the PE teachers taking part, the workshops provided an opportunity to refresh existing knowledge while gaining new activities they can take directly into their classrooms. Adelvin Phillip, a PE teacher with 17 years of experience in the education system, welcomed the opportunity to learn from the sessions.
“I’ve been in the system for 17 years. I’m involved in all the different sporting activities. So I came to take in some of what my friend Giba here has come to offer. You’re never perfect to learn information. There’s always more room in your brain for knowledge.”
Phillip said the activities covering agility, concentration, coordination and deceleration are among the exercises he plans to incorporate when school resumes. The SKNFA says its work with schools will continue, with further grassroots initiatives planned, including opportunities for PE teachers, coaches and students to participate in activities under the Bigger Game Academy.
The Association also plans to build continuity from 1v1 activities into 3v3 and 5v5 formats within schools, providing young players with opportunities to develop their skills in progressive game environments.
Damiano said the objective is to spend more time in schools, where young athletes can develop the foundations needed to progress through the national football pathway.
With schools serving as an important starting point for sports development, the SKNFA is seeking to strengthen the connection between Physical Education, grassroots football and the future development of national teams in St. Kitts and Nevis.
