Youth FA president Fr Hilary Tagliaferro urged local football nursery administrators to continue striving to give the best possible service to their young players during an annual general meeting held recently.
Fr Hilary said that this was the only way to ensure the level of the game will continue to improve in the years to come.
He said that APS Bank had decided not to renew their sponsorship to Youth FA competitions and that they are now looking for a new partner.
“We would like to thank APS Bank for their very valid contribution to youth football. Their assistance went far beyond the fiscal sponsorship,” Fr Tagliaferro said.
“Both parties shared the same ideals of educating through the sport, particularly football.”
Fr Hilary revealed that the YFA was looking ahead to build on the success of the Erasmus Course for football administrators held in Scotland last March and offer similar opportunities along the season.
New project
The Youth FA president also gave details of the organisation’s new project.
“The Youth FA is holding talks with an insurance agency in view to offer an indemnity cover to all players and venues associated with the Youth FA.”
Joe Micallef, the Youth FA general secretary, gave a detailed report on the 2016-17 season which included over 700 matches in the U-15 and U-17 leagues and the 3,600 players registered on the YFA passport system.
Micallef announced that Jake Bone, of Pieta Hotspurs, won the Most Promising Player in the U-15 category while Birkirkara’s Ayrton Attard topped the U-17s.
Għaxaq FC U-15 won the APS Play Fair Award.
During the meeting, each of those who attended the Erasmus Administrators Course in Scotland presented a project to be undertaken by their nursery, from which other football schools will benefit as participants to ensure a legacy.
Joe Baldacchino (Żabbar SP), Stephanie Fenech (Żejtun), Simon Spiteri (Mtarfa), Paul Vella (Mġarr) and Godwin Aquilina (Sta Venera) were elected members representing the nurseries.
They will join the top five officials of the association to form the Youth FA Council for season 2017/18.