A former Brazilian national player is linking up with the Cayman Islands Football Association to help arrange opportunities for the islands’ top female players to try out for professional teams.
Renata Lobo, who was a South American champion with Brazil and also played for the University of Tampa for four years, will use her contacts to help create chances for Caymanian girls.
Brazilian football official Lenilson Albuquerque, president of a national seven-a-side programme in Brazil, will also partner with the association.
Thiago Cunha, women’s national technical director, said: “They will be using their contacts around the world to help the girls reach top schools and football teams. They have a large list of contacts in Brazil, Europe and at top colleges in the US.”
He said 20 Caymanian girls are away at colleges, universities and clubs overseas with five more leaving in July to join overseas schools. He said he hoped the link up with his two fellow Brazilians would create even more opportunities.
“I am very glad and excited to have the opportunity to help the young players in Cayman follow their dreams and reach high accomplishments,” Lobo said. “I’ve just started to work with Thiago to build a solid network with American universities and women’s football clubs in Brazil, so our young players will have greater opportunities in the future. I personally think our biggest goal while we build this network of opportunities is to have the girls as prepared as they can be in football, cultural and educational aspects.”
Albuquerque, president of the Liga Nacional de Futebol 7 Society in Brazil, said the small-sided game was “fever” in Brazil.
“Our aim is to expand it to the Caribbean and Europe,” he said. “This is a great game to develop players’ skills and I will do my very best to introduce it to as many Caribbean countries as possible.”
“I have been in contact with Thiago Cunha so I believe that if we put all our ideas together we will achieve many good things for Cayman,” he added.
Martha Godet, Cayman Islands women’s national programme director, added: “We are happy for this opportunity where our players can expand their level of education and football skills.
“They have the skills, the drive and desire to further their education and we hope that their dreams can be achieved in the long run.
Cunha added: “We are always looking at the educational aspect. Football provides opportunities for girls to get scholarships, get a good education and be international athletes. We are looking forward to making this programme bigger and having more athletes involved.”
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