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Aaron Lawrence closer to setting up football academy <DIV class=KonaBody>
by Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Aaron Lawrence - Contributed
Always one to look beyond the football field, former national goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence is set to make another venture into the world of business after acquiring land in the Rose Hall area of St. James for a sports academy he intends to set up.
Thirty-five-year-old Lawrence, who hung up his gloves to pursue coaching and business interests, told Star Sports on Sunday that his search for land on which to build the academy has now come to an end.
"We have finally secured the land. Mrs. Michelle Rollins of Rose Hall Development Plantation has put up the land for the academy," Lawrence said following Reno's 3-1 win over Naggo Head in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League at St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).
"We initially wanted to set up the academy in Savanna-la-Mar but our attempts to get land there was turned down. I had been trying really hard but was getting nowhere, so I spoke with Mrs. Rollins whom I had done some camps with the SOS Village. She liked the plans I showed her and she said to me, 'Well, Aaron, If you can't get any land in Westmoreland, I have a lot of land here. I will give you 10 acres to develop and build your academy,'" explained Lawrence, a long-time investor in the transportation sector.
Though his area of expertise is football, Lawrence's plan for the academy is to facilitate develop-ment in a number of sporting disciplines.
Multi-sport field
"Ten acres is a good size land, we could get at least one good field like the one here at STETHS, and a small training ground. We will have stands, offices, netball courts, tennis courts because the academy will not only be for football. It will be for tennis, netball, basketball and probably a swimming pool," Lawrence said.
Already identified as partners in the venture are Lawrence's good friend and former Reggae Boy, Robbie Earle, Mrs. Rollins, Westmoreland businessman Bryan Buddan and "a number of interests in the West".
There are also plans, according to Lawrence, to get investors from Europe behind the project but that is to be finalised.
The next step for Lawrence will be to tour the Rose Hall property and choose the ideal location for the academy.
"We should have done the tour already but Mrs. Rollins has been busy off the island. I think she gets back soon, so probably within another week we will do the tour and choose the site. Some of the things that would determine the suitability are the closeness to road and water. With that identified, we can get it rolling," added the 1998 World Cup veteran. </DIV>
by Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Aaron Lawrence - Contributed
Always one to look beyond the football field, former national goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence is set to make another venture into the world of business after acquiring land in the Rose Hall area of St. James for a sports academy he intends to set up.
Thirty-five-year-old Lawrence, who hung up his gloves to pursue coaching and business interests, told Star Sports on Sunday that his search for land on which to build the academy has now come to an end.
"We have finally secured the land. Mrs. Michelle Rollins of Rose Hall Development Plantation has put up the land for the academy," Lawrence said following Reno's 3-1 win over Naggo Head in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League at St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).
"We initially wanted to set up the academy in Savanna-la-Mar but our attempts to get land there was turned down. I had been trying really hard but was getting nowhere, so I spoke with Mrs. Rollins whom I had done some camps with the SOS Village. She liked the plans I showed her and she said to me, 'Well, Aaron, If you can't get any land in Westmoreland, I have a lot of land here. I will give you 10 acres to develop and build your academy,'" explained Lawrence, a long-time investor in the transportation sector.
Though his area of expertise is football, Lawrence's plan for the academy is to facilitate develop-ment in a number of sporting disciplines.
Multi-sport field
"Ten acres is a good size land, we could get at least one good field like the one here at STETHS, and a small training ground. We will have stands, offices, netball courts, tennis courts because the academy will not only be for football. It will be for tennis, netball, basketball and probably a swimming pool," Lawrence said.
Already identified as partners in the venture are Lawrence's good friend and former Reggae Boy, Robbie Earle, Mrs. Rollins, Westmoreland businessman Bryan Buddan and "a number of interests in the West".
There are also plans, according to Lawrence, to get investors from Europe behind the project but that is to be finalised.
The next step for Lawrence will be to tour the Rose Hall property and choose the ideal location for the academy.
"We should have done the tour already but Mrs. Rollins has been busy off the island. I think she gets back soon, so probably within another week we will do the tour and choose the site. Some of the things that would determine the suitability are the closeness to road and water. With that identified, we can get it rolling," added the 1998 World Cup veteran. </DIV>
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