Former Liberty soccer players Darryl Roberts and Osei Telesford are currently attending Trinidad and Tobago’s training camp in preparation for the 2007 CFU Digicel Cup. Trinidad and Tobago will host the tournament in January.
The two Flames, who finished their Liberty careers this past season, were two of seven collegians selected to participate. The selections were made after a four-day camp held earlier this month in Charleston, S.C., for Trinidadians and Americans of Trinidadian descent playing at U.S. colleges and high schools
Roberts and Telesford are among 41 players overall who were called into the Trinidad and Tobago camp, which began Monday and runs through tomorrow.
"I'm thankful that I have had an opportunity to be involved with Darryl and Osei during the last 4 1/2 years,” commented Liberty Head Coach Jeff Alder. “I'm so impressed with their growth as players and as young men. They deserve the opportunity to represent their country and I feel if they are able to stay healthy, they will both have long careers as professional soccer players. As they close one chapter of their lives and open another, it will be great to see where this story takes them. My only regret is that our time together at Liberty went so fast.”
Roberts became Liberty’s all-time leading scorer in his final season as a Flame this fall. The forward scored four goals and assisted on three others in 10 contests for 94 career points, eclipsing James Wright’s mark of 89, set from 1992 to 1994. The Trincity, Trinidad native was also selected to his second All-South Atlantic Region team with his selection to the third team. Roberts was named to the second team as freshman in 2002. In addition, he was named to his third Big South All-Conference second team to go along with a first team selection in 2002. In 2002, Roberts was selected a Freshman All-America after scoring a nation-high 17 goals.
Telesford, a defender, finished his senior season this past fall by being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Atlantic Region First Team for the second straight year. In addition, he was named to his fourth successive Big South All-Conference team. His selection this season was his third to the conference’s first team to go along with one second team mention. One of the two captains for the Flames in 2006, the San Juan, Trinidad native was a key member of the Liberty defense which allowed only one goal during a five-game winning streak at season’s end. During the streak, the Flames posted four of the team’s five shutouts. Liberty held opponents scoreless for 347:54 in their last three contests, before Winthrop scored late in a 2-1 OT loss in the Big South Championship semifinals to end the Flames season.