Football camp 'makes a difference'

Janet Silvera, Hospitality Jamaica Coordinator

Young footballers of the SOS Children's Village who attended the Rose Hall football camp last week.

Marc Rollins, son of Montego Bay's most noted businesswoman, Michele Rollins, hosted some 100 children from the SOS Children's Villages of Stony Hill and Rose Hall at his annual Football camp last week.

The children ages ranging between 3-17 years old were not only taught the basic skills of dribbling, passing, controlling and heading, but the art of discipline, self respect, the importance of self-esteem and hygiene.

real difference

Volunteer coach, former National Goalkeeper, Aaron Lawrence who has been assisting with the programme for the last four years, said he has given his time and effort to the programme because the children are from the inner city where they have no homes, and their only family are the other SOS villagers and house mothers and aunts assigned to them.

"I have seen real difference in their (the children's) behaviour, we have even seen a future footballer this year," said Lawrence.

The young footballer he spoke of is 15-year-old Sylvester Thompson, a 10th grade student of Holy Trinity High School in St. Andrew.

Lawrence received assistance from Reggae Boyz Fabian Davis and former captain Melville Wilson.

Organiser of the programme Marc Rollins told Hospitality Jamaica that he continues to do this project because it puts a smile on the kids' faces. "It allows them the opportunity of knowing that there is a lot of positive surrounding them."

Most importantly he gets satisfaction from giving to a group that understands that somebody really cares for them.

Over the four days the youngsters were exposed to the likes of tennis stars, Rayne and Ryan Russell, reggae musician Mackie Conscious, contestants of the Miss Rose Hall Pageant and civic leaders including Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Noel Donaldson and president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pauline Reid.