VANESSA Desinord, the Bahamas Football Association’s women’s cootball Coordinator, represented The Bahamas at the CONCACAF Grassroots Charter Working Group Meeting July 22-25, 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-centred football that prioritises participation, development, and enjoyment over competition. 

   Vanessa Desinord
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.