NETHERLANDS-- Thirty-four football players all hailing from St Maarten or with direct ties to the island attended a football camp on the grounds of the KNVB , the Royal Dutch Football Federation.
Present to welcome and cheer them on were the President, Vice President, Selection coach and coach from the St. Maarten Football Federation, the Minister Plenipotentiary of St Maarten Jorien Wuite, President of the Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry Board Benjamin Ortega and senior policy officer at the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary Kelly Busby.
Sudesh Sing, the President of the St. Maarten Football Federation in his address to the players thanked the KNVB for the ongoing support post Irma where through the coaching program and facilities upgrade the federation has noted an increase in youth and youngster’s participation in the game of Football.
The numbers have been showing an increase of 100% since 2018, where the numbers went from 500 to 1000 participants. Sing carefully predicted an expected growth of an extra 100% in the near future.
The players in attendance were congratulated for their persistence in the field of football here in the Netherlands, many of whom form part of the national team of Sint Maarten. To ensure that they are prepared for the upcoming qualifying game against Guadeloupe, they will be embarking on joint training in the Netherlands under the coaching of Piet de Jong.
Together as a team with other players not selected for the National team, the players will be practicing and playing friendly matches.
The organizer of this initiative, Alain van de Listle, a student, during his vacation to Sint Maarten met with the SMFF where he was inspired to bring the players group residing and studying in the Netherlands to come together and form teams.
The first meeting of the group took place in the month of January at the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague.
It is the intention to create a foundation under which the teams will fall. This will enable them to actively participate on a competitive level in the Netherlands and in friendly matches throughout the Kingdom.
The afternoon’s activities were rounded off with friendly matches amongst the members of the team.
