Teams within the United States won’t soon forget Cayman’s under-19 boys from Academy SC, which dominated at the Target USA Cup held in Minnesota to claim the prestigious Gold Championship.
Academy’s U19 girls and U16 boys also earned hardware, taking runners-up honours at the tournament held on 16-21 July.
The seven-team delegation from Cayman, consisting of more than 100 players, returned home on 22 July to a packed Owen Roberts International Airport, with family and friends showing their support for the players’ successful trip.
“It was a very good experience. For the first time in the club’s history we won the U19 age group cup so it’s a really good achievement for both the club and the country,” Jahziah Johnson, U19 captain told the Compass at the airport.
Paul Byles, U19 Academy boys’ head coach, noted that this year four out of seven teams made it to the semi-finals in their age groups, with three of those making it to the finals.
“All of the seven teams performed very well against excellent teams from the USA and around the world, and we are really proud to see how their football has developed,” Byles said.
Byles explained that many of the players on the U19 boys team have been with the club for 10 to 13 years, with several being selected for the U20 and senior Cayman Islands men’s national teams.
“Those years of development at Academy SC have paid off because several are already attending university and playing at a very good level in the NCAA and were able to secure scholarships due to their football ability,” said Byles.
He added that the girls’ programme is progressing very well, and he is very proud of the performance of the U19 girls particularly.
“The club has invested heavily in our girls’ programme, and the appointment of a new experienced women’s coach [Fabian Sangines] is paying off,” Byles said.
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