NCIL football championships to kick off soon

The National Community Inter League football championships, arguably the most looked forward to football event, will kick off early next month.{{more}}

The startup date is tentatively set for Sunday February 9, at a venue yet to be determined, as disclosed by third vice president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, Elroy Boucher.

The SVGFF’s third VP noted that the Sion Hill Playing Field or the Chili Playing Field in Georgetown are the venues currently under consideration.

Boucher told SEARCHLIGHT that the first set of matches in the championships will be played at venues other than the Victoria Park.

He said that the Victoria Park will be available but could not give a definite date.

Eighteen teams are expected to participate in the 2014 edition of the draw card – the senior men’s division.

Zone A comprises defending champions Barrouallie along with North Leeward, North East, Marriaqua, North Windward and West Kingstown.

Zone B sees last year’s runner-up, South Leeward, along with Central Kingstown, Arnos Vale, Bequia, Calliaqua, and Greiggs, while Layou, Sion Hill, Buccament, East Kingstown, South East, and Stubbs fill Zone C.

The teams have an added incentive this year, as a planned knock out competition could be morphed into the regular format. This would be done as a collaboration between the organizing committee of the SVGFF and Awesome Vibes Entertainment and Sports Agency.

While the winner of the regular competition gets a purse of $10,000; the winner of the knock out would earn $5,000 ($4,000 for placing first and $1,000 for reaching the last four).

The other three semi-finalists in the knock out also get $1,000.

The second, third and fourth places in the regular competition receive $6,000, $3,000 and $1,000, respectively.

Apart from the senior men’s division, there are three others divisions to be contested: the Under-13, which is a predominantly male composition; women’s division and the Under-18 male, which replaces the previously staged Under-17.

To be eligible for the Under-13 division, players must have been born on or after January 1, 2001, while the Under-18 male players must be born on or after January 1, 1995.

The Under-13 competition will be played during the Easter school vacation.

The women’s division is in preparation for the FIFA Under-17 women’s world cup as well as the FIFA women’s world cup. (RT)