The Cayman Islands national women’s football team will be heading to a training camp in Portugal, with hopes of gaining valuable experience from friendly matches as well as attending a UEFA Europa League match.
The travelling women’s team – predominantly made up of players under 20 years old, will contest three friendly games against Portuguese clubs and train at high-end facilities.
In addition, the women will be the first of any Cayman national team to attend a UEFA game on the Cayman Islands Football Association’s dime.
The match the team will watch will feature Braga taking on Bodø/Glimt on Wednesday, 23 Oct., at Municipal Stadium, which seats over 30,000 people.
It’s an opportunity that Cayman women’s head coach Michael Johnson said will not only benefit the team from a technical and physical standpoint but also mentally.
“It’s a new experience, a big experience, and obviously it is not in our region so we will be coming up against new opposition, a new style of play which we want our girls to experience,” Johnson told the Compass during a training session last week.
He noted that with the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Qualifiers coming up in January, the goal is to use the trip to further develop those selected for the 2025 tournament.
“So, a lot of our team is made up of those girls, because again the focus is those two age groups right now because CONCACAF has not [announced] any senior tournaments,” Johnson said.
As for the Europa League fixture the team will attend, Johnson said it will serve as a good reminder of what it takes to be an elite professional footballer.
“We are hoping that it leaves a big impact, to see up close the pros and their application on the pitch,” Johnson said. “It’s way different on television than actually watching in person, so we are hoping with this, it can unlock something within them to have the motivation to continue with their career.”
For team captain Deondra Kelly, she is relishing the opportunity to travel to Portugal to train, play and watch a professional match.
“It’s an amazing opportunity that a lot of people don’t get to experience,” Kelly told the Compass, saying of attending the upcoming UEFA game, “I have never experienced a match like that.
“So, I am very excited, but, above all, I think it’s a learning opportunity for us to go ahead, an opportunity given to us by the association to experience something like that but also help us grow within our sport.”
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