A small community sports club in Marchand has been using the sport of football to make a difference in the lives of young people and the community. The Boboville Sports Club was established on August 24, 2011 under the dedication of its leading coach; Emile Herman and the support of its biggest corporate fan, Super J IGA, operated by Consolidated Foods Limited (CFL).
While the sport of Football is not new to the community of Marchand, the Boboville Sports Club has made it possible for boys in the area ranging from ages 7-17 to pursue it on a professional level. With the help of its leading coach and the guidance of the St Lucia Football Association’s Community Coaching Program, the club offers training for boys in a variety of disciplines both directly and indirectly associated with football.
“It’s all about allowing everything to grow. The community, the children, and the club,” says Marcus
Stephen, Treasurer of the Boboville Sports Club. Stephen credits the start of the organization to Manager-Coach, Herman Emile. His vision and tenacity paved the way for a complete executive board, an enthusiastic team of players and a committed sponsor.
Consolidated Foods Limited has been supporting the club since inception, providing the football team with uniforms, product support and other necessary sport equipment. Sariah Best- Joseph, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted youth and sports development as a major focus area for the company.
“We’re happy to work with the Boboville sports club,” she says, “because we recognize the importance of sports in the community as an agent of social change. As the operators of IGA stores, the community is an important part of our outreach. Through them and with them we are able to demonstrate our Local and Proud philosophy. Their development and achievements are critical to national development efforts and ultimately contributes to our overall success.”
CFL has placed the long term development of the young club as one of its priorities. As a result, the company has facilitated discussions on synergies between the Boboville Sports Club and the more mature, well-known Super J Northern United; a football team from Gros Islet which the company has sponsored for the past eight years. During a visit to the Entrepot playing field which is the training ground for Boboville, President of Northern United, Derek George, noted the talent within the young team and their coaching staff, and welcomed the initiative. He believes that the two teams
can work together and benefit each other particularly through exchange matches and the sharing of ideas and techniques from their various coaches.
President of the St Lucia Football Association, Lyndon Cooper, gave the club his full endorsement and encouraged other organizations from the private sector to consider the positive impact that organized sports can have on the community.
The Boboville Sports Club over the past two years, has helped channel the energies of young boys in the community through discipline and by engaging them with something positive to look forward to.
It has also brought many parents from the community together, rallying around their children and sometimes even taking to the field on training days, to cheer and support the team. This is what the community club was envisioned to do and will continue to do thanks to support of parents, team members, CFL and the St Lucia Football Association (SLFA).
