Nassau, Bahamas – Vanessa Desinord, the Bahamas Football Association’s Women’s Football Coordinator, represented The Bahamas at the CONCACAF Grassroots Charter Working Group Meeting held from July 22 to 25, 2025, in Miami. The four-day summit brought together football development leaders from across the region to help shape the future of grassroots football throughout the Caribbean and Central America.
Desinord actively contributed to the discussions and collaborative sessions that focused on creating the new CONCACAF Grassroots Charter. This regional framework supports inclusive, community-centered football that prioritizes participation, development, and enjoyment over competition. It outlines clear standards for Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond levels of grassroots engagement.
The event began with a presentation on global trends in grassroots football and continued with engaging group activities. Delegates explored definitions, shared experiences, and identified challenges specific to their respective Member Associations. Desinord participated in drafting and refining 19 core performance criteria. These covered essential areas such as coach education, community engagement, gender equity, safeguarding, and fair play.
“Grassroots football is the soul of the game,” said Desinord. “This week reaffirmed the importance of building football from the ground up, ensuring every child, regardless of background, can enjoy the beautiful game in a safe and supportive environment.”
Throughout the sessions, participants created grassroots philosophies, discussed stakeholder roles, and explored practical strategies to support youth and community football. The final day concluded with a strong working draft of the Charter and a clear roadmap for future implementation.
Desinord’s involvement highlights the BFA’s commitment to youth and community development and reflects its alignment with global standards in football governance.
For more on the BFA’s grassroots programs, visit www.bahamasfa.net.
For more information contact:
BFA Secretariat
Office – 322 4343
Email – Connect@bahamasfa.net
Website: www.bahamasfa.net
About The Bahamas Football Association
The Bahamas Football Association (BFA) is the official governing body for the sport of Association football in The Bahamas, established in 1967 and headquartered in New Providence. As a full member of FIFA since 1968, the BFA oversees Bahamian football at every level, from international competitions to professional and amateur leagues. In addition to managing the Men’s and Women’s National teams, the BFA also oversees youth organizations, the BFA Senior League, and the national beach soccer teams, demonstrating a commitment to promoting and advancing football in The Bahamas at all levels of play.
