The all-female Fire Ants football team has just had some motivational training during a team-building day organised for them under auspices of the Anguilla Football Association.

Shirley McGill

“The whole idea was to work on the issues of communication, trust, problem-solving and other hands-on so that that they would learn by doing,” said the trainer, Shirley McGill, of New York. “The idea is to build the girls’ power and to harness it through the proper use. That is what building a team is about – allowing each girl the strength to show forth.”

She said the training was all transferable in the sporting activities of the team. “Whatever it is that the individual participants experience in their activities, they can transfer to their work,” she went on. “For the Fire Ants, their work is actually the football game. So my goal personally as the facilitator is for them to beat Trinidad. I guarantee that this time they will beat Trinidad. You can put that in your newspaper.”

Members of the Fire Ants Football Team

Ms. McGill’s background is in theatre and sociology. She became an educator after teaching in the public school system. She is now working with young people in New York helping them to be empowered by the educational process she is providing.

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