Six five-a-side football seasons have come and gone and the good times still continue at King’s Sports Centre.
League champions RCC Strikers and Coconut Joes capped off a remarkable sixth season back in October and are already lined up with the other teams as the seventh WestTel Five-A-Side Football League launched last night.
Three games were McAlpine United facing KPMG Blue Iguanas, Burger King battled Ocean Frontiers and PWC took on Dart.
The overall league maturity over the past two and half years has made this upcoming season another turning point with some newer developments to be seen.
League Director Ray Singh is delighted with the forthcoming season.
‘King’s Sports Centre has accomplished something remarkable. For the past two years we have focused on player and team development in order to sustain the sports programmes.
‘Now that we have accomplished that we are turning our attention to other means of growing as a community sports group.’
Singh noted in particular two new changes will be coming this season.
The first is the new programme format. Unlike previous seasons, which saw a pre-season division of teams based on skill, the new season will see a two-conference system with a post-season division.
Singh explains the reasoning behind the change.
‘We’re looking forward to trying this new system. Like any new changes there is a potential for some flaws but the players voted for the new make-up of the programme.
‘There’s only one true way to find out if this will work. We have to try it.’
John Collins, captain of Coconut Joe’s, last season’s Division 2 Champions says he is looking forward to more challenges this year.
‘Last season really was a successful and satisfying one for Joe’s. Every game was tough, which was evident from our final league standing which included five defeats. To go on and win Division 2 was great for Joe’s considering we are only a pub team.
‘This season will be by far the toughest yet with the new league format mixing both divisions together.
‘Hopefully we will be able to hold our own in the league and repeat the playoff success of last year and walk away with a title again.’
Other players, like Old Man United captain Dean Lynee, has similar sentiments on the coming year.
‘I found that last season was well organized and I am looking forward to the upcoming season.
‘I hope that we will have a team that will carry us through to the finals. Mind you the team that knocked us out last season was that team that won the finals, so I don’t feel too bad.’
The second major change to the league is the introduction of the player-referee system. In addition to the current league officials, several players from amongst the league attended a referee training seminar last week.
These new officials will partner up with the league referees as the programme looks to foster referee development. Four of these new player-referees are members of the Transformers football team.
Sharon Lamb, team manager for the Transformers said it’s a proud achievement for the side.
‘We are very pleased that four members of the Transformers have been asked to become referees. That can only enhance our reputation as the most disciplined team in the league.
Calvin Morton, WestTel’s VP of sales, says his company is committed to supporting the sport.
‘We are fully committed to the football and hockey programmes at Kings Sports Centre and are very proud of our joint accomplishments this year.
‘There were some really exciting games during the last season and I’m looking forward to more of the same during the next season of WestTel 5-A-Side.’
Even the new teams were getting into the spirit. Team representative from new club Marriott International F.C. Jan Juschtzak said the side is looking forward to playing.
‘The Marriott Football Team is excited and can’t wait to play their first game. Even our regular employees are asking us about the league and want to see the matches.’
The newest WestTel Five-A-Side football season is bound to be full of excitement. With some fresh ideas and a few new changes, football enthusiasts are in for more good times as we head into 2009.
To keep on top of five-a-side football log on to www.caymanactive.com or e-mail Ray Singh at [email protected].
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