Leeward youths win FLOW skills-based competition

Diel Spring of the St Martin’s Secondary School (SMSS) and Joel “Otty” Quashie of the St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS) will represent this country at the FLOW and Manchester United “The Ultimate Football Experience” two-day camp in Trinidad next month.

The two emerged victorious last Saturday at the Victoria Park, during a skills-based competition, supported by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and the local Football Federation, which was held to choose the two best young local footballers for the two-day camp.

Quashie and Spring outperformed 39 other competitors between the ages of 13 and 16 and will, as a result, journey to Trinidad, along with their coaches Richard “Dutchie” Hayde and Bishon Williams, where they will compete with other regional footballers for a chance to earn a trip to Old Trafford, Manchester, to see Manchester United versus Crystal Palace on May 21, 2017.

After learning that he was chosen, Spring, who hails from Chateaubelair, said that he felt “very good” about his performance. The SMSS form four student plays in the central midfield and defensive midfield positions.

He said that when he arrived at Saturday’s event, he saw a lot of competition and didn’t think that he could win, but he kept his focus and performed to the best of his ability.

“I would like to tell other youngsters who want to succeed to keep your mind in the game, practise hard. Do drills, don’t wait on a coach; go out on mornings and keep fit,” said Spring, who idolizes Argentinian striker Paulo Dybala of Juventus.

Spring’s favourite team is Manchester City.

Quashie, a Layou resident, commenting after being chosen, said that he felt extremely happy.

“This is very important to me and my family, because I really want to help them… because they are in poverty right now,” said Quashie, who is in form four and is 15 years old.

He said that he has been playing soccer since he was six.

“I practise really hard every day, I work very hard,” said the central midfield player, who looks up to French footballer N’Golo Kante, who plays with Chelsea.

“I look up to Kante because he’s very hard-working and I would like to advise players to always try to go above their potential and don’t bring down yourself,” said Quashie.

Spring’s coach, Bishon Williams, said that he is very proud of the teenager who plays for the North Leeward Predators.

“I’m happy for him, I know his ability and I know how hard he has been working over the past years, so I am very happy for him,” said Williams, who added that Spring spends an enormous amount of time on the field.

“He is one of our most prospective players, so we expect things like this to happen for him,” commented Williams.

Quashie’s coach, Richard “Dutchie” Hayde of Avenues United, w said he was also very proud of his player.

“He deserved it; he has worked very hard throughout the years and we just want to move forward now,” said Hayde, who noted that Quashie has been playing for Avenues for about five years.

The Trinidad leg will see the two participants, along with their respective coaches, experience one-on-one training with CFU and Manchester United soccer school coaches. There, they will participate in a series of drills designed by the coaches and compete for the chance for two finalists and their coach to win the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

The Ultimate Football Experience is one of several Manchester United and Flow partnership initiatives.

The event on Saturday was attended by, among others, FLOW country manager Wayne Hull and corporate communications officer Nikala Williams.