Two Trinidad and Tobago National Youth Beach Soccer Teams will depart for Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday to participate at the Youth Commonwealth Games.
The two T&T Under 19 teams will form part of the 50-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent that will take part in various events at the Games that runs from July 19th-23rd. The 2017 Games will feature nine sports and will introduce three new sports, Beach Soccer, Judo and Beach Volleyball whilst dropping Archery, Lawn Bowls, Weightlifting, and Squash. Cycling will also make a return during these games.
The T&T Beach Soccer Teams have been preparing for the tournament for just over two months under the guidance of coaches Chad Appoo and Jesse Bailey, two current T&T Beach Soccer senior team players.
The T&T Men’s team is in Group B alongside hosts Bahamas, St Lucia and Antigua/Barbuda while the Women’s team is in Group G with Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and Bahamas.
The T&T women will go into action on Wednesday July 19th against Turks and Caicos with the T&T men coming up against Antigua/Barbuda on the same evening. (See Fixtures at bottom). The Final will be played on July 22nd.
Appoo described the preparations as satisfying in the lead up to the competition for which the matches will be played at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Stadium, the same venue used for the recent FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
“The preparations have been great thus far. The players have put in the work and ready to express themselves,” Appoo told TTFA Media.
“The entire camp – management and staff included are all just buzzing to get there. We have a few sessions in the Bahamas to fine tune a couple things before the competition kicks off on Wednesday. ‘Great moments are born from great opportunity’ and I think we’re on the brink of something special where Beach Soccer is concerned in T&T. Thanks for your continued love and support,” Appoo added.
Bailey meanwhile was also optimistic about the women’s team chances.
“I think both teams have done well so far an have adapted really well in terms of the understanding an tactics surrounding the game and playing on the sand … which is new to them but there is always room for improvement
“They are looking really good and have started jelling really well during these past few weeks and it’s just for them to execute what we did on the training pitch and take each game as a final … from start to finish in the games. God’s willing we will bring home gold for our country,” Bailey said.
he 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games will be the sixth edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games which started in 2000.
With more than 140 countries around the world now playing this fast-paced sport, Beach Soccer will make its debut at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.
For men’s and women’s teams there will be 6 teams with 10 athletes per team.
Age Group: Men and Women 16-18 years of age (born in 1999, 2000 and 2001)
The Teams
T&T Under 19 Men
(Player/PositionAge/Hometown)
Jabari Gray Capt.
Goal Keeper – Age 17 – Marabella
Anderson Peters V.C
DF – Age 17 – Moruga
Levi Fernandez
Goal Keeper – Age 18 – San Fernando
Nathaniel Brown
FW – Age 16 – Maraval
Immanuel Russell
MD – Age 18 – Las Lomas
Omri Baird
FW – Age 17 – Point Fortin
Juaval Roberts
DF – Age 18 – Point Fortin
Jordan Riley
MD – Age 18 – Oropuche
Che Richards
FW – Age 17 – Scarbrough
Kevon Williams
DF. Age 17 – Central
T&T U-19 Women
Nia Honore Capt.
MF – Age 18 – Tacarigua
Asha James V.C
FW – Age 18 Canaan, Tobago
Akkasia Charles
GK – Age 18 Port of Spain
Tamika Campbell
FW – Age 17 – San Fernando
DF. Jade Noreiga
DF – Age 18 – Arima
Maya Blanc
MF – Age 17 – Arima
Ketara Monroe
MF – Age 18 – Port of Spain
Adanya Phillip
MF – Age 17 – Arouca
Tsai-Anne Fernandez
DF – Age 17 – San Fernado
J’Nae Harris
DF – Age 16 – Signal Hill, Tobago
Staff: Chad Appoo (Coach), Jesse Bailey (Coach), Jason Pilgrim (Athletic Trainer),Yuri Chapman (Manager), Arlene Paul (Manager).