SVG enter CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Football Tournament

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is part of the 23-team, second edition of the Confederation of North, Central and Caribbean Football Association (CONCACAF) Girls Under-15 Football Tournament.

Debutants in the tournament, the Vincentian lasses were set to take on St Lucia on Wednesday in Group C, on the opening day in Orlando, Florida, USA. Also in the group are Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Grenada.{{more}}

Next up for SVG is Nicaragua, as the two battle today, Friday.

The other engagements for the Vincentians come on Sunday, when they face off with Puerto Rico and finally play Grenada on Monday, as the group phase ends.

Carrying the hopes of SVG on the field is an 18-member outfit, which is led by national senior player Chelsea Cordice.

The rest of the team is Aerril Delpesche, Cavorn Delpesche, Dionte Delpesche, Ashanti Douglas, Ushon Edwards, Arena Grant, Areka Hooper, Krystal Foster, Somonique La Borde, Zonja Mc Kie, Ka’mya Matthews, Kitana Richards, Shannell Lampkin, Vashica Pereira, Laquanda Soso, Shaielle Williams and Zerese Williams.

Head coach Alnif Williams referred to the team’s entry in the competition as a learning experience.

His assessment is based on the reality that several of his charges are relatively new to the sport.

“Some of the girls [are] just getting start[ed] and getting them to understand their positions and their roles and functions on the field of play… The girls are very positive and just want to learn more…. I think I have seen a lot of potential and talent that the SVG Football Federation can work with in the future for these girls,” Williams stated.

He also thanked the other coaches who assisted him in the preparation of the team for the US trip.

Other than Williams, the technical department of the team includes technical director Keith Ollivierre, along with national female players Aikiria Samuel and Amolis Marshall as assistant coaches.

Head of women’s football of the SVGFF Wayne Grant is the team’s manager, with Liz Cordice – chaperone and Marvin Fraser, the SVGFF’s second vice-president.

The other teams are Group A: United States, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Group B: Canada, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Jamaica, El Salvador; Group D: Barbados, US Virgin Islands, Curacao, Anguilla and Group E: Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas.

The teams finishing top of the five groups and the second places in Group A, Group B and Group C will advance to the quarter-finals.

Canada won the inaugural tournament, staged in the Cayman Islands in 2014.(RT)