OVER 300 young aspiring footballers from across the island will showcase their talents in the Saint Lucia Football Association-sponsored Sports Online National Under-15 Tournament which kicked off on Sunday at the Phillip Marcellin Ground.
The young men will attempt to demonstrate their skills to the technical staff of the SLFA headed by Cess Podd as the competition serves as preparation for Saint Lucia’s bid for the Under-17 World Cup.
At the opening ceremony, President of the Saint Lucia Football Association, Lyndon Cooper, told the young footballers that his objective was to develop the sport in every community.
Cooper said: “This is one of the most important competitions undertaken by the SLFA in recent years and you should take advantage of this opportunity. I want to encourage every player and participating team to comply with the requirements so we can achieve our 2020 objective. I also want to remind you that every player and team will be assessed by the SLFA to ensure that the Under-15 standard continues to grow.”
Co-sponsor of the tournament, Blackheart Production’s CEO David Christopher, urged the players to seize the opportunity and “keep on shooting for goals and not bullets.” He added. With what’s going on right now, you will make the difference and be the leaders of tomorrow. As sponsors, we want to work with you by giving you the opportunity to represent Saint Lucia at a high level.”
Meanwhile, in action on the pitch after the opening ceremony, Canaries defeated Anse la Raye 6-0 in a fast-paced game. The young men from Anse la Raye succumbed to fatigue and tiring legs midway into the second half of play, but the Canaries team never let up their relentless pressure on their neighbours.
For Canaries, the goal scorers were Karim Mondesir, Steven Octave, Renaldo Francis, OneilHippolyte and Rio Longville.
The second encounter was even more exciting as the rivalry continued amongst the youth players from the east coast as Mabouya Valley defeated Dennery 5-0.
For Mabouya Valley, ZaineSanson scored twice, and one goal each for Mario Rameau, Travis Aimable and Peter Alfred.