THREE Jamaican young footballers returned to the island last Monday after a week-long football training camp in Barbados with coaches from Chelsea FC as part of the Digicel Academy.

The young men, Karue Barrett of Maggotty High, Ryan Brown of Glenmuir High and Cadine Graham of Excelsior High were all elated at the opportunity that they got courtesy of cellphone giant, Digicel, through its Kickstart Clinics.

Stopping for a quick minute after one of the intense training sessions last week, defensive midfielder Barrett says he has seen a marked improvement in his game.

“I am enjoying myself at the clinic… my technique has improved considerably; I’ve learnt how to move faster and sharper,” he said.

Sixteen-year-old Brown, who fashions his game off FC Barcelona right-back Danni Alves, said last week he was learning priceless lessons during the stint in Barbados. “My ball control, passes, ability to read the game and ensuring that I am in the right positions to collect the ball during play are skills necessary to my position,” he noted.

Graham, who also has a Barcelona footballer as his idol in Xavi, says his idol “plays calm and simple. I learnt how to be just like that in the games here (in Barbados). My movement on and off the ball has gotten better as well.”

Chelsea’s senior international development officer and Digicel Academy head coach, David Monk, was pleased with the trio.

“I think the three guys selected to represent Jamaica were fantastic ambassadors. They showed that they were natural leaders and they certainly excelled among the group of guys here,” he said.

Monk also lauded the island for the footballers it has produced over the years. “We had a good time in Jamaica when we hosted the Digicel Kickstart Clinic there. We know that you guys (Jamaica) are powerhouses in the region and over the years you have provided many players for the international leagues and, to date, there are still many players that represent the Jamaican footballing brand in such a great way,” he noted.

The Digicel Academy was a week-long training camp hosted through a partnership with Digicel and the Chelsea Football Club. The young aspiring footballers were chosen from Digicel Kickstart Clinics, which were held in 11 countries in the Caribbean and Central America, where hundreds of players turned out and displayed their skills for a chance to win the coveted opportunity.