Saint Lucia’s National Senior Women Football Team can best be described as a squad ‘in transition’ with a mixture of young talented players and some seasoned professionals and semi-pros in the camp.
Team Saint Lucia is making a determined bid to put on a good showing in this year’s CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup—and from all indications the squad has been undertaking a hectic training regime as they embark on this “new journey” with the ultimate quest to compete at a FIFA World Cup. On Friday, Team 758 will be up against Cuba, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground [DSCG], from 6.00p.m.
The “journey” began about four months ago, with the team going through the paces under the guidance of head coach Trevor “Flecky” Anderson, aided by assistant coach Hiram Hunte and supplementary technical staffers.
On Wednesday, the female national team members and technical unit was presented to the media, as they get set to compete in their first match of the tournament with high expectations.
General Secretary of the Saint Lucia Football Association [SLFA] Inc. Victor Reid drove home the message, urging the players to stay focused as they prepare to embark on that “first step” of the “journey” in pursuit of wider representation and participation in the global sports arena.
Noting that it will be no easy task, he implored the team members to take this matter “seriously …and put your best foot forward” in pursuit of that ultimate goal.
Reid informed that the female team’s participation in the tournament was costing the SLFA in excess of $700,000, and with airfares, specifically estimated at US$75,000; while simultaneously, it costs an additional $2 million and more to cater to the needs and preparations of the senior national male side.
Despite the SLFA having to make provisions with “expanded funds” for hosting of regional matches, and catering for the overall development of other national teams in the different age categories within the local football structure, Reid asserted: “However, women’s football needs to be as important as the men’s team …and we must let our women enjoy the same status as the men. And so, we have put a team together to compete in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup championships.”
SLFA’s Technical Director Ces Podd spoke about the development process and strategies employed to build a cohesive unit. He recalled that “the journey began in early May, when we bought a group of 30 players together …so that we could select what we now have, a group of 18 players to represent Saint Lucia in the Gold Cup.”
Podd added that in spite of having to compete against bigger countries, mostly due to Saint Lucia’s geographical location in the wider region, “but we are always confident that we have local players who have the ability to be able to play at that level and to win games on behalf of the country.”
With the team in transition and adjusting to “high performance” standards and structures, he noted, “the overseas-based players have made a difference, they’ve gelled well” and got the local-based players to visualize and adapt to the ‘professional’ outlook.
SLFA’s Women Football Coordinator and Team Manager Liz Campbell spoke highly of the work that has been put in by players and technical unit as they embark on that journey.
She said it has been four years since a Saint Lucia female team competed at the regional level; and currently Saint Lucia is placed in League C, Group H of the competition.
Over the past four months, Campbell explained, the team with players ranging in age from 16 to 39 has been undergoing rigorous training exercises, at least four times per week.
Added Campbell: “As a technical team we are confident that the players will give a good account of themselves …and together we can, as we propel Saint Lucia football to higher heights.”
Speaking to reporters, head coach Anderson expressed satisfaction and “confidence” with the team preparations, moving forward.
On the mixture of local players and the overseas professionals’ input into the team, he said: “It has been a big influence with (the inclusion) of the overseas players, because they have been playing football overseas and having them in the side it is a plus for the local players.”
On the team buildup and structure: “What we have to buildup on, is (formation) of team shape tactically, team shifting as a compact block…these are key aspects of the game, so players have to be really focused with that tactical part of it.”
Team captain Ellaisa Marquis, 32, has been with the national female setup from her early teens, and this time around is looking for “dedication and commitment (from players), because we’ve worked very hard to get into that era that we’re at now, where sometimes it’s (been) very difficult for us to get support from the country. So, this time…there is lot more confidence in the team,” she said.
On her experience and expectations from the team, with the responsibility of moulding a solid unit: “I feel it’s a very good task (for me), especially since I have gone into coaching. So, I feel it’s that much of a responsibility which will also help me as a coach later on, going into developing a lot of the young players…and it’s a plus for me to help myself grow as a leader.”
The squad consists of a cross-section of players from several district leagues, and includes four overseas-based players. Following Friday’s encounter, the women’s team will travel to Guadeloupe on Sunday (September 24) for their away match scheduled for Tuesday (September 26).
The squad is as follows: Goalkeepers- Renala Francis (Canaries), Kenna Lionel (Vieux Fort South).
Defenders- Steffany Allain (Canaries), Marissa Duncan (Canaries), Racquel John (Student athlete in the USA), Makhaya Smith (Laborie), Jessica Wallace (United Kingdom).
Midfielders- Ellaisa Marquis (Dennery / Team Captain), Eartha Pond (United Kingdom), Cassandra Shepherd (Canaries), Shamalyn Albert (Choiseul), Giana Hilton (Vieux Fort South), Britney Moncherry (Gros Islet), Ambrosa Mitchell (USA).
Strikers- Andrianna Dmuchalsky (Canada), Clowie William (Anse La Raye), Freegeanne Joseph (Vieux Fort South), Arnicka Louis (Marchand).
Technical Staff – Trevor Anderson (Head Coach), Hiram Hunte (Assistant Coach), Mary Campbell (Team Manager), Ces Podd (Technical Director), Bernard President (Goalkeeping Coach), Wade Clovis (Physical Trainer), and Natasha Innocent (Doctor).