SKNFA SAFEGUARDING AND FIRST AID TRAINING HAILED A SUCCESS

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA), in a vital
partnership with the St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross, recently hosted an intensive Safeguarding
and First Aid Training session on Friday June 5, 2026. The initiative provided women involved
in football across the Federation with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to
ensure player safety and well-being.

The training brought together a diverse group of coaches, players, team officials, and
stakeholders. The session focused on equipping these leaders with the tools to create safer
sporting environments and improve emergency response protocols both on and off the field.
Vercelette Molyneaux, facilitator from the St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross, highlighted that first
aid extends beyond physical treatment to include emotional stability during a crisis. “First Aid is
imminent help provided to a sick or injured person until professional help arrives. It is concerned
not only with the physical injury or the illness of the person but it also includes psychosocial
support. Some persons when they get in accidents—or even if it didn’t happen to them but they
see it happen—they start to get a lot of emotions,” Molyneaux explained.

HANDS-ON PREPAREDNESS AND LEADERSHIP

The workshop moved beyond theory, engaging participants in rigorous practical exercises.
Attendees received hands-on instruction in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and other
life-saving techniques critical for match-day emergencies. SKNFA Technical Director Giba Damiano also addressed the session, linking medical preparedness to the broader responsibility of leadership within the sport. He challenged coaches and administrators to foster inclusive and supportive environments for the next generation of female athletes.

“When we talk about coaches, there are three things that we need to think about. One is
leadership. We need to make sure that we cover a few things with regards to how a leader should
behave, because there are good leaders and bad leaders,” Damiano noted.

BUILDING A STRONGER FOUNDATION FOR 2026

Kalia Huggins, Head of Women’s Football at the SKNFA, expressed her gratitude to the
participants, urging them to remain active pillars in the development of the women’s game. This safeguarding workshop was a cornerstone of a weekend-long developmental program
designed to strengthen the infrastructure of the women’s game. These efforts serve as the final
preparation phase for the highly anticipated 2026 Elvis Star Browne Women’s League, which is set to kick off later this month.