Captain Horace Burrell (centre), president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Dr Colin Gyles, dean of Faculty of Science, University of Technology (UTech) and chairman of the JFF/JMMB/UTech Coaching School and Kim Mair (right), chief executive officer of the Joan Duncan Foundation, share a happy moment at the launch of the Advanced Level One football coaching course at the JMMB/JFF/UTech Coaching School, at the the JFF Football Centre at the University of the West Indies yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) plans to start construction of dormitories to house a maximum of 60 persons at the JFF Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona, later this year.

Already, a project report has been submitted by the JFF to football's world governing body, FIFA, for approval, but budget was not disclosed.

"We wish to announce that discussions for dormitories to accommodate a maximum 60 persons are ongoing. We expect construction to start this year," president of the JFF, Captain Horace Burrell, announced at the opening ceremony for the 15th Advanced Level One football coaching course at the centre yesterday.

"This will see the academy beginning to take shape. Youth teams and even senior teams can use the facility to change the economic dynamics of the federation's expenses as most activities could take place in one area," Burrell added.

Meanwhile, a total of 33 persons have been registered for the course that started yesterday and is set to conclude on February 14.

"As you know, with any course there has to be a mechanism for one to know if you have learnt at the completion," Professor Colin Gyles, chairman of the Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB)/JFF/University of Technology (UTech) Coaching School said.

"The participants must pass both modules with at least 50 per cent in each module in order to pass. You will get a certificate of achievement or certificate of participation," Prof Gyles told the 30 participants who were present.

technical preparation

Roy Thomas, an instructor, outlined that the 10-day course will be intense.

"It is going to be a very hectic programme. You should go over every document each day as it is a lot of information. The topics will be in coaching sciences and technical preparation," Thomas said while outlining an overview of the course.

Kim Mair, CEO of sponsors Joan Duncan Foundation, an affiliate of Jamaica Money Market Brokers, urged participants to focus on the course in order to strengthen their knowledge base.

Among those registered at the $25,000 per person course are former national players Walter 'Blacka Pearl' Boyd, a member of Jamaica's historic 1998 World Cup squad; Deon 'Messy' Wilmot and Leighton Murray.

The Advanced Level One certificate will allow coaches to take charge of Preparatory, Primary and Major League teams.