FC SANTA ROSA were the winners of the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) National Youth League’s Under-17 title on August 13.
Robert Alexis emerged the top goal-scorer for the squad with 16 goals as Santa Rosa left, in their wake, the challenges of Club Sando, Harlem Strikers, Point Fortin Civic Centre and Joe Public.
In the Under-15 category, Santa Rosa finished second overall, but Antonio Auguste was the leading goal-getter with the team, with eight goals.
In related news, the club also had a pair of coaches involved in a TTFF course.
Leno Fermin and Gerard Lee recently participated in a course for goalkeeper coaches from August 5-8. Both coaches are former goalkeepers — Fermin is a member of the club’s Under-15 team technical staff while Lee works with the club’s Under-8 players.
FC Santa Rosa has always proudly boasted that it is the only football club in TT to award an annual prize for academic achievement. Since 1995, the “Student Player” trophy has been awarded in December to the Santa Rosa member who has achieved the most outstanding examination results.
The 2008 winner was Jonathan Steele, who earned six CXC distinctions. Not to be outdone, little brother Christopher claimed seven distinctions in the 2009 CXC examinations— English, Maths, Spanish, Physics, Chemistry, Information Technology and Technical Drawing.
Both members of the club’s Under-17 team, the Steele brothers provide a vivid example of the Santa Rosa philosophy that there should be no conflict between sport and school.
Meanwhile, the Santa Rosa caravan will roll into Central Trinidad in October to host a community coaching caravan for the youth of Biche Village. The activity will be open to interested Under-14 children.
This year, the club has already hosted community clinics in Arima and Brazil Village.
As a community club which lacks sponsorship, FC Santa Rosa depends on the support of its membership to conduct its many programmes.
The club reminds all members that term fees are due by the end of September.