Flag football in the Cayman Islands boasts a number of talented athletes. Many will be on display in Florida soon.
Both of the local governing bodies are sending teams to Kissimmee to compete in the US Flag and Touch League national flag football championships 13-15 January. The Cayman Islands Flag Football Association will send a nine-man and a woman’s eight-man squad while the Grand Cayman Flag Football Association prepares a woman’s seven-man side.
For the Cayman Islands group, the men are Alex Angel, Damian Barboram, Matthew Bone, Phil Brown (the association president), Clay Coleman, Glenn Duran Jr, Steve Ebanks, Andrew Frederick, Taj Haye, Todd Hazlewood, Perry Levy, Brendon Malice, Rohan Marshall, Josh Merren, Nate Narcisse, Josh Parsons, Shawn Pitterson, Nicholas Roberts, Adrean Russell, Jermaine Sharp, Baron Solomon, David Taylor and Andrew Wisdom. They will be coached by Malice, Brown and Hazlewood.
Malice and Solomon coach the women’s side, which consists of Jennifer Allen, Cassandra Bodden, Agueda Broderick, Scimone Campbell, Anne-Marie Douglas, Maggie Ebanks, Vanessa Ebanks, Antoinette Lewis, Lisa Malice, Erin Marshall, Camille Solomon, Keisha Solomon, Renee Thompson, Zonief Walker, Stephanie Watler and Dionne Whittaker.
The Grand Cayman organization fields a seven-a-side unit that will compete in the woman’s seven-man screen division. Wisdom and Sharpe will coach Christine Bisnauth, Erica Bosch-Bone, Scimone Campbell, Lilia Conolly, Tonia Ebanks-McLaughlin, Maggie Ebanks, Sophia Dilbert, Michelle McTaggart, Kathy Miller, Shinette Rhoden, Antonia Roberts, Gillian Roffey, Heather Roffey, Alexandria Saintvil, Saneata Smith and Marline Williams.
Brendon Malice, who serves as the Cayman Islands association vice president, states a number of players are key contributors.
“The key players will be both quarterbacks in Glenn and Dionne,” Malice said. “They both have strong arms and can make plays with their running abilities.
“Other key contributors will be defensive line standout Damian (nicknamed Beast). Damian brings energy and toughness to the team and has experience playing abroad. His leadership will be important to our success on defence. There is both youth and talent at the wide receiver position, including players such as 2010 League Most Valuable Player Clay, Perry, Taj and Andrew Frederick. The O-line will be anchored by Alex Angel, Steven Ebanks and Josh Merren.
“For the women, Cassandra and Scimone always bring dynamic play-making ability to any team. In addition, tough players like Antoinette, Keisha, Maggie and Stephanie will add to this strong team. The women may lack experience playing the eight-man style, which will be a concern. However, with the talent, they will be able to compete with the best. Overall both squads are looking to gain international exposure.”
All will be looking to make their mark at the Austin Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee, a manicured field used especially for flag football. The national championships, which is backed by entities like the Central Florida Sports Commission and the Florida Sports Foundation, is in its 41st year and features over 300 teams from the US, Canada and Mexico. Cash prizes are on offer and 13 different styles of play will be seen.
This is not the first time Cayman has played at the international tournament. Last January a select squad with 20 women took part and won only one of its three matches.
Both teams are slated to leave Cayman on Thursday, 12 January and return on Monday, 16 January.
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