By Omar Faye
Gai Sports Agency based in the US has organised a free college showcase for Gambian student athletes at the FIFA Goal Project.
The pre-combined programme and open soccer tryout were both held at the facility in Yundum.
The soccer camp was designed for high school soccer players who want to work directly with coaches in the US and focus on becoming college soccer student athletes.
Chief Executive Officer of Gai Agency, Pa Saloum Gai who is based in the US said the initiative is to support homegrown young athletes to have the right coaching and tryout free of charge.
He informed that the camp is a continuous process in order to feature quality instruction from active college coaches in the US, help athletes with evaluations provided by coaching staff through instructional process, information on college scholarships and pointers on US college athletes for players.
“Each segment of these camps consist of player evaluation and skill training on the technical and tactical competences of the game. The camp is open to all high school soccer players who’re eligible based on academic performance,” he said.
Gai said the initiative is a realisation of his dream to support his country through sport education to help youngsters; as he was once accorded the same opportunity in the past.
Coach Malang Jarjue, who was invited to scout the young athletes during the showcase, said the athletes deserve attention and support.
Coach Malang was recently awarded in the US college competition list for his coaching discipline. He received the ‘TN State Soccer 2021 Boys competitive coach of the year’.
Mamour Mbenga (Kifa Barham), a community youth leader, journalist and Sport Manager for Gai Sports Agency in the Gambia said at least 150 athletes participated in the beginning of the first combined tryout session.
He said every session; the Agency scouts and assesses the performances of athletes in order to list the best qualifiers.
The Agency has placed standard programme activities, which includes recording all games with professional soccer cameras and inviting local professional coaches to participate in the showcase camps, Mbenga added.
“The tryout session is recorded. These footages will be used to create individual player’s profile and highlights, in order to share it with college coaches in the US for easy scouting,” the Sport Manager for Gai Sports Agency said.
Mamour said they are on their final list assessment, as the camp session continues annually with different batches of athletes.
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