Since bursting on the scene more than four years ago, women’s football has been the flagship of the Anguilla Football Association. From the humble beginning of the Swarming Fire Ants to the visit of England’s National Female Coach, Hope Powell, women’s football has been receiving lots of attention – and rightfully so. Now, FIFA has rewarded the Anguilla Football Association’s tireless efforts at women’s football development with Anguilla’s first FIFA Seminar.

The 7th – 11th May event will feature three (3) representatives from fourteen (14) National Football Associations across the Caribbean Zone of CONCACAF. The Regional Women’s Football Seminar is designed to assist Member Association in the development of Women’s Football in country; identify and share best practices, identified in the framework of the Assessment Mission; and promote the establishment of a Women’s Football Plan for each Member Association, including defining the process of establishing and the format of such a Plan. It is also envisioned by the FIFA Development Office in Trinidad, which is coordinating this seminar, that at the completion of the gathering in Anguilla, participants would have built a network for personnel working in Women’s Football in the region, and proposed an overall long-term development plan for Women’s Football in the region.

As this is Anguilla’s first opportunity at hosting such an important meeting, Mr. Harold Taylor, FIFA Development Officer for the Caribbean, visited the island over the weekend to assess the Association’s preparatory plans for the seminar. He justified his visit by saying, “Anguilla is very near and dear to my heart and it is my job to ensure that the Association does everything in its power to put on a good show for the rest of the Caribbean football family.”

The value of this honour and the historic nature of the event were captured by AFA President, Mr. Raymond Guishard, who remarked, “The AFA stands ready to welcome our football brothers and sisters to the home of the Swarming Fire Ants. This seminar comes at a crucial time as it provides the opportunity for cross fertilisation of ideas among Member Associations.”

The selection of Anguilla as the host of this seminar comes on the heels of Mr. Colin Johnson being named to the Caribbean Women’s Football Development Committee. The Development Plan that was developed by Mr. Johnson and the other members of the Committee is what will drive the discussion at the Seminar here in Anguilla in May 2007. However, before Seminar participants get a chance to see the Development Plan, Presidents and General Secretaries attending the 30th Ordinary Congress of the Caribbean Football Union in Curacao 24-29 March, 2007 will be given an in-depth look at the Plan aimed at ironing out any last minutes issues that are evident.

In summing up the dividends being reaped by the Association, Mr. Guishard confirmed, “The AFA is poised and adequately prepared to host the FIFA Women’s Football Seminar in May. We congratulate Mr. Johnson on his appointment and applaud the FIFA Development Office for recognising the hard work of the Association in the area of women’s football development.”

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