Led by England and Liverpool football legend, , the Digicel Kick Start Clinics came to St. Lucia this week for the first time in the programme’s five years – and impressed Barnes with the talent on display.
“Given it was the first time St. Lucia hosted a leg of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics, I was very impressed. The set up and approach was spot on and, while the quantity of talent was not as high as other countries, I am very happy with my chosen three boys for the Digicel Academy and I think they will go toe-to-toe with their peers when they all meet in Barbados,” said Barnes.
He continues; “The pitch was fantastic and the boys were really energised having just completed a Digicel Soccerama last weekend, so the energy was high and the enthusiasm palpable. What I stressed to the boys is that, while they have the ability, they must now apply the discipline and attitude and they will get the most from the Digicel Academy in Barbados this October.”

The three boys chosen from St. Lucia, Ridel Stanislaus, Luc Millar and Shadrach Henry (all 15 years-old), will join their peers from across eight other countries in the Caribbean, Central America and the United States at the week-long Digicel Academy in October this year. The region’s top talent will be put through their paces by coaches from Chelsea FC in Barbados where they will experience what life is like as a professional footballer.
Speaking on securing his place in the Academy, Shadrach Henry, said; “I am so happy that I was chosen by Digicel and this has been so emotional for me because my recently-deceased father would have been so proud of me. We used to play football together – and if it was not for him, I would not be involved in the sport of football.”
The Clinics continue through to St. Kitts and Nevis before coming to a finish next week in Jamaica as John Barnes searches for the region’s top footballing talent.
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