Former Trinidad and Tobago international and current Central FC Youth Development Director, Kevin Jeffrey, will begin screenings for the club’s Under 13, 15 & 17 divisions this coming weekend in preparations for the 2013 Oasis Youth Pro League which kicks off on March 3.
A press release by the club on Wednesday headlined “Sharks searching for a Messi or Ronaldo in Central” is the task of Jeffrey who also coaches the Central Reserve Team.
Jeffrey, a former U.S. based player, will be assisted by Senior team assistant coach Travis Mulraine, senior team players Simba Aberdeen, Carey Harris and Marc Leslie and T&T Women’s Senior Team player Akeela Mollon.
Jeffrey explained that the club is also trying to integrate senior players in the coaching aspect of the game.
“I have to ensure that Central FC develops the best young talent in the country,” said the 38 year old Jeffrey. “We want to make sure that every talented young footballer, particularly in the Central region, is part of our youth system.”
Trials for the Under 17, 15 & 13 age groups will take place at the PLIPDECO ground opposite Atlantic Plaza in Point Lisas on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 February. Registration begins at 8:30 am and players are asked to walk with a copy of their birth certificate, two passport photos and one red and one white jersey.
“We have some exciting plans for our academy under development,” added Jeffrey. “We want to be the best source of gifted players in the Caribbean and will be directing a lot of our resources towards investing in these young players. The world’s greatest players were in a professional environment from the age of 12, if not younger.”
Central FC Managing Director, Brent Sancho had some early advice to parents saying, “We know that some parents feel that playing sport interferes with children’s studying, but in fact, it’s the opposite. By allowing children to expend their energy for a few hours, it gives them greater capacity to concentrate.”
Sancho, who has a university degree in psychology, said that Jeffrey and himself were living proof that you can combine a successful sporting career with education.
“Both Kevin (Jeffrey) and I went on football scholarships to the U.S. and earned degrees. But aside from the education, we also benefitted from experiencing life outside of Trinidad & Tobago and this prepared me for life in places such as Finland, Scotland and England.”
More information on the Youth teams’ trials can be obtained by calling the club office at 679-5060 or visiting facebook.com/CentralFCTT.