Team Saint Lucia U-14 in CFU’s Girls Challenge Series

AN 18-player squad of Saint Lucia’s National Under-14 Girls team, departed yesterday (Friday) for Antigua & Barbuda to compete in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U-14 Girls Challenge Series, scheduled to run from August 18 to 27.

Saint Lucia will be in action today (Saturday) to start a tough challenge, where they play four consecutive games on the trot.

Team Saint Lucia is drawn up in Tier II Group C, where they play alongside Curaçao, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Martinique.

Nonetheless, head coach Francis “Panco” Mac Donald is optimistic about the young girls putting on a good performance following a lengthy period of intensive training drills and gaining a wider knowledge of the ‘beautiful game’.

Speaking to the gathering of players, officials, and parents at the Saint Lucia Football Association [SLFA] Inc. base, Thursday, Mc Donald said the development programmes in place initiated by the SLFA will shed light on the team’s performances as they progress in the sport…

He noted that there have been gradual improvements in the respective Under-14 boys’ and girls’ teams as they participate in the development programmes under the tutelage of the SLFA’s coaches.

“Going forward, these remarkable young girls have mustered through with potential to undertake strength and conditioning routines …and have been able to factor in different changes,” said Mc Donald.

Additionally, he said, the girls have been partaking of a nutritious diet, and “their levels of fitness have improved significantly”.

The coach opined that despite having to play in a tough group with teams that have competed vigorously in regional football, the local girls “have been tested” to withstand the challenges ahead. He spoke of a training regime that includes ball conditioning, ball passing, systems of play, performance checks, and individual performances where “the girls have been focused and also they have been reminded of their functions as they go through the competition.”

In preparing for the tournament, Mc Donald said, the U-14 team has played some friendlies including games against the Senior Women’s team “and these have been observational games where we have seen a lot of adjustments to the team…where the team adjusts to the levels of play.”

Mc Donald asserted that the team is ready and “with confidence and faith facing our challenges” they will pull through.

Team manager Shennel St Louis commended the SLFA’s developmental programmes for enabling the players to develop and nurture their skills, while acknowledging the support of parents in helping to get them that far.

“The Saint Lucia Football Association have invested a lot in these girls and they have been working hard …the technical staff and coaches have also worked hard to see these girls through,” she said.

St Louis noted that the girls will be involved in these developmental programmes for the next coupled years, as they go through the ropes from U-14 to U-15, U-17, and U-20 “where they will ultimately vie for World Cup qualifiers.”

According to an SLFA spokesperson, the team consists of players from the communities of Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Desruisseaux, Gros Islet, Roseau Valley, Soufriere, and Vieux Fort.

Team 758 U-14 Girls’ line-up is as follows:

Goal Keepers – Alyssa Flavius, Aquila Agdoma and Miracle Alcide.

Defenders – Lenesse Robinson, Alice Phillips, Aria Andrew, Angelic Medard, Hayla Samuel, Kina Modeste, and Ivanna Marshall.

Midfielders – Torie Fanis, Makayla Joseph, Noellisa Frederick, Nyeesha Antoine and Kayla Polius.

Strikers – Kennya Richard, Kyla Lionel, Anelka Mc Farlane, Dhunya Jn. Baptiste and Amaya Emmanuel.

Technical Unit: Francis Mac Donald – Head Coach, Mineva Charles – Asst Coach, Bernard President – Goal Keeping Coach, Shenel St. Louis – Manager, Della Ashby – Asst. Manager and Natasha Innocent – Team Doctor.

Inaugurated in 2018, the CFU U-14 Challenge Series is a holistic developmental competition that caters to boys and girls in alternating years. The Challenge Series is the introduction to international competition and exposure for players. It hues to CFU’s developmental agenda and FIFA’s focus on further developing grassroots football in the region.

The Challenge Series is also a pivotal component of the CFU’s Next Generation Referee Course. It affords regional match officials who possess the requisite skills to advance to the FIFA International Refereeing Lists technical and practical training.

This year’s competition will be officiated by an all-female refereeing team.

[R.A].