The inaugural CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship kicks off on Wednesday and Cayman’s games are at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex and sure to be exciting.
Cayman are in Group A with Curacao, Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands in the 16-team tournament.
Last year, the Boys’ U-15 national side drew big crowds in the first ever tournament of its kind in the region for that age group.
Chairwoman of the Local Organizing Committee Sharon Roulstone expects similar numbers this time.
She said, “It is a privilege for CONCACAF to have chosen Cayman as host of this inaugural tournament and I hope, therefore, it is well attended, with our unique brand of Caymanian hospitality being the best thing the 15 visiting teams take back home with them.
“Cayman’s U-15 girls have trained hard and with this being the first international tournament for most of them, they need our support and encouragement.
“School is out for summer and admission to the games is free, so there’s no excuse not to come out over the next couple of weeks and show our support to CONCACAF, to our Cayman U-15 girls and to our visitors.”
Cayman opens the competition against British Virgin Islands on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. Honduras plays Bermuda in the earlier match at Truman Bodden, kick off 5.30 p.m.
Besides Truman Bodden, matches are at the TE McField Annex, Ed Bush Sports Centre in West Bay and in Cayman Brac.
Matches are over 70 minutes, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals.
Cayman’s Head Coach Ruben Flores said that he is pleased with how much the squad has absorbed and improved in recent weeks. He admitted that Cayman is a young, relatively inexperienced group but their willingness to work hard and learn is encouraging.
“They are really pumped up and positive and I can see they are ready for the tournament,” Flores said.
“My expectations are that we are going to win the games and go to the next phase and be champions.”
But he also admitted that because of their ages and inexperience, this will be more a learning tournament for them than a triumphant one.
“Half of this group is so young that they can compete again in two more tournaments,” he said. “That is what is so promising.”
He added that the most important thing is to keep the group together so that in a few years’ time, when in their late teens, they will be more seasoned and competitive.
“Ultimately, we are doing this to win,” Flores insisted. “We want to give some satisfaction to the country and show everyone that we did a good job and the girls have been working hard.
“If they do the right thing, I think we will get positive results.”
Goalkeeping coach is Frank Cornwall who, like Flores, said that he was pleased with how well his keepers have improved.
Deondra Kelly, 15, is a defensive midfielder with Future Sports Club in West Bay.
She said, “I am looking forward to working with my team to get the best results and making my country proud.”
Kelly got a taste of international football when in the U-20 Cayman squad in January’s CONCACAF competition here.
She played against Honduras and felt she gained from the experience.
“I think if we work together and do what coach tells us to do, stick to the game plan, we will get good results,” she said.
Lauren Scott, 14, is a central defensive midfielder with Academy Sports Club. She recently went to Turks and Caicos to play for Cayman’s U-20s.
“Playing there really helped me because I gained from the experience and I know what to expect coming into this tournament,” Scott said. “It also helped to know what physical level to be at.”
Scott expects Cayman to go through to the next round because they have worked so hard and on a personal level she will talk constantly to her teammates and lift their spirits when necessary.
She thinks Canada will be the best of the visitors and relishes the encounter.
She said, “We think Canada’s going to be the strongest team because they have a lot more players to choose from and they have a strong women’s side as well as a lot more international experience.”
Kelly, Scott and Chelsea Green have been named as joint team captains.
Scott added that she has never seen a girl’s group respond so well to Coach Flores’s instructions.
Cayman will play Bahamas on Friday and then Curacao on Sunday, both 7.30 p.m. kickoffs.
For schedules and more information, go to www.caymanfootball.com.
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