After two intense weeks of pre-clinic football training and three days of Clinics, Digicel Kick Start Clinics Head Coach and England and Liverpool football legend, John Barnes, yesterday officially announced the four aspiring young footballers who have secured a place in the Digicel Academy.
 
The four young players – Vinceroy Nelson, Wazim Howe, Evanceroy Barnes and Hassani Flemming – were selected from an initial group of 150 young footballers to secure a place in the Digicel Academy in Trinidad from November 1st to 7th.
 
At the Digicel Academy, they will join the selected footballers from the remaining three countries – as well as those from Haiti, Panama and New York where they will spend a week developing their skills and technical ability as well as learning valuable life skills such as personal discipline and commitment – under the leadership of top Barclays Premier League coaches from the Sunderland Academy, assisted by John Barnes.
 
The St. Kitts Clinics attracted a large crowd of supporters including parents, high-school children, football enthusiasts, members of the media as well as St Kitts’ very own World Athletic Champion, Kim Collins, who came out to encourage the aspiring young footballers and witness the “Hot Shot” wild card session with the Kick Start footballers.
 
Digicel Kick Start Clinics Head Coach, John Barnes, said; “I would like to congratulate all of the boys who trained over the past three days – as always there was a very high standard of football on display. The young footballers of St. Kitts and Nevis have always impressed me with their skills and ability – and this year was no different. It’s clear that the local coaches are committed to developing these youngsters to one day become world class football players and I am confident that some of them will make it on to the St Kitts & Nevis National Football Team in the future.”
 
One of the lucky four, 15 year-old Hassani Flemming, said; “I play football because I love the sport and I have been playing football since I could walk as a baby. I hope to one day play on the National team and I am very excited about the trip to Trinidad and training at the Digicel Academy.”
 
The Digicel Academy will also host a ‘coach the coaches’ seminar in which coaches from across the region will get expert training from Sunderland AFC’s finest teachers.
 
The Digicel Kick Start Clinics programme officially kicked off on Sunday 18th September in Haiti before travelling on to Panama, New York, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Suriname, Jamaica and culminating in a week long training session at the Digicel Academy in Trinidad from Tuesday November 1st to Monday November 7th.