Linden group looks to start freestyle football competition

A Linden group is looking to stage the first ever freestyle football competition.

According to a press release, the Right Start Foundation, is set to stage the inaugural virtual ‘Skill Thrill Freestyle Football Festival’.

“The Right Start Foundation in its continued effort to help promote and develop the game of football in Guyana has taken an initiative to host an open freestyle football Festival,” a release from the organisers stated.

“Given the absence of organized football activities in Guyana which is due to the global pandemic, the Novel CoronaVirus, most of our players and officials have been inactive for a very long period. The Right Start Foundation thought it best to adapt and introduce this aspect of freestyle football that can bring about some form of involvement and relief,” the release added.

The event will be open to individuals as young as 16 years old, who are residing in Guyana. Each participant, following registration, must submit a video no longer than three minutes in duration displaying their freestyle ability. Edited videos will not be accepted by the judging committee which will be identified prior to the start of the event.

The 10 best freestylers will advance to the second round which will be in person. The grand finale will also be contested during the second round. Winner of the event will pocket $ 100,000 and a trophy, with the runner-up pocketing $50,000 and the corresponding accolade. The other participants who made the final 10, will pocket $ 10,000 each. Participants will be judged on four categories. They are Creativity & Versatility, Trick Execution, Acrobatics and Musicality. “The Right Start Foundation has recognized that this aspect of football freestyle can generate much enthusiasm among football lovers here in Guyana, to start a new football phenomenon that can ultimately evolve into a new brand that all can enjoy especially during this global pandemic,” stated the release.

“It is therefore our desired intent to organize an Open freestyle football festival with participants from all across Guyana via a virtual platform according to some predetermined rules,” it added.

“We are very optimistic that this undertaking will receive an overwhelming response that can ultimately balloon to standards that could see Guyana being represented at international tournaments. It is our ultimate desire to partner with all the relevant stakeholders such as the Government of Guyana ( GoG), Guyana Football Federation (GFF), World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) and other corporate entities to establish a local association here in Guyana, so that freestyle football can be played in an organized environment where it can enter the mainstream sports so that it can be developed into the brand we know it can become,” the correspondence added.