40 Try Out For U.S.
THE second College Player Showcase trial ahead of the Free Kick Foundation’s final selection has been dubbed a huge success. The event, which was held last Saturday at the SAB Sporting Facility, attracted a combined 40 junior male and female footballers from various clubs and schools on the island.
The initiative is a collaboration effort of the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA), the Department of Youth Development and Sports, Ministry of Tourism and Free Kick Foundation.
Under the watchful eyes of coaches Francis Lastic and Vance Vitalis, the young and aspiring footballers were again introduced to a series of drills dealing mainly with a driving, agility and speed testing. Also included was a goal shooting component and football game.
The performance of each participant on the day provided a baseline which will be used to assess their improvement by using the criteria for final selection.
Vitalis said the programme is geared towards helping Saint Lucian students achieve a scholarship at American universities.
Also included in the group are five national Under-20 male and eight senior female national players.
“One of the most important things the coaches and universities will be looking for are the grades/ results of the various players from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and those who sat the CXC exams as well,” Vitalis said. “By the look of things, some of the players will have to do the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for them to be eligible.”
Ten coaches from the various universities will be coming to Saint Lucia next week and will be doing the same drills with the players, following which the coaches will speak with the parents of the selected players as to what will be required of them when they arrive in the USA.
Vitalis said, “Compared to the first trials which took place last month, and based on their performances this time around, the players have improved on their previous times. It’s an indication that they are serious. They went home and did some workout, which is good.”
In the agility test run, the excellent score for the boys to beat was 15.20 seconds and the girls less than 17.00 seconds. On Saturday, both sexes were way ahead of the allotted times.
