Cayman’s flag footballers are in
action again this weekend. Cayman’s reputation for high flag standards is
growing throughout the region and for the second year the Cayman Islands Flag
Football Association will host the Caribbean Regional Cup, sponsored by
Domino’s Pizza and Cayman Screen Print.
The tournament is on Saturday and
Sunday at the Ed Bush complex in West Bay, with some kick off games starting on
Friday at 6.45pm. Local league teams formed their own regional sides to compete
for the Caribbean Cup last year and a men’s team from the Bahamas visited for
the tournament.
This time, not only are Cayman
hosting a men’s team from the Bahamas again but a women’s five-member team is
also competing. Like last year, the Caribbean Cup will be contested between
locals who form regional sides from Cayman, USA, Jamaica and the World.
Jamaica’s Shinette Rhoden plays
running back and safety. She said: “This will be my first time participating in
the Caribbean Regional Cup tournament. I think our team is very capable of
reaching the playoffs and winning the tournament thereafter. Every player on
our team has a special skill that they bring to the table. If we put each skill
together, we’re definitely a force to reckon with.
“We need to stay focused, remember
the plays, execute the plays well, communicate with each other at all times and
ultimately, enjoy ourselves doing so.
“I’m even more excited knowing that
the Bahamas women team are visiting for the first time. They too are newcomers
in the Caribbean Regional Cup league so I can relate to them in that sense.
It’s also a perfect opportunity to show the Bahamas how talented the ladies are
here in and to give them an idea of how much the flag football association has
grown since last year.
“This is different to playing
league games because the whole atmosphere and attitude of the players is not as
competitive. The purpose of this competition is to socialise and develop each
players’ experience as well – which in turn will benefit us in the flag football
association league next year. It’s a great way to make friends and have fun for
the whole weekend.”
Keisha Solomon is in the Cayman
team. She has played in every flag position except quarterback. She said: “This
year I expect Team Cayman to take the trophy. All we need to do is execute. We
have the talent and skill.
“It’s exciting to see that our
fellow Caribbean folk are catching on and enjoying flag football as much as we
do. I love to see that the sport is growing among women.
“This is different from playing in
the regular league because you get the opportunity to play with an entirely
different team and coach. I actually look forward to it, because as a player, I
find that it improves my knowledge of the game. It’s as fun as you make it. I
always have a blast.”
Kathy Miller said: “I played last
year in the Caribbean Regional Cup for Team World, and am staying on the same
team this year because we want to defend
our championship. All the players that were on Team World last year have stayed
– with the exception of some that have left the Island or have not played flag
football at all this season. Most of us are from the Hammerhead Lady Sharks
team, however we also have some new additions that will keep us a strong force.
“I will be switching from playing
centre to wide receiver. This is a fun tournament to be able to step outside of
your comfort zone and try something new and also have other players playing
different positions from what they are used to and what our defenders would
expect. We expect to score lots in every game. We expect this to be even more
challenging than the regular season.
“I think it is great that Bahamas
are visiting for a second time and have put together a women’s team. It’s nice
to know that the CRC and the coverage that was received in the Bahamas media
helped the development of a ladies team there. This relationship helps
strengthen sporting relations between Cayman and the Bahamas, paving the way
for more opportunities for Cayman to represent in the Bahamas, as well as other
countries.
“I believe this competition is more
challenging because the amount of teams are smaller, so rosters are full of
talent. Instead of perhaps three amazing receivers or defenders on a team, you
have double that. All teams are stacked with talent, making it much more competitive.”
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