Naparima aiming for 7th zonal title

The launch of the 2009 edition took place on Tuesday at the President’s Box, Queen’s Park Oval.

Manager of the team Richard Naguar, said his team will be at their best as usual, and he’s confident they would be able to pull it off again. “We still have a strong side, we just lost a couple of players from last year, however, we have brought in a few guys”, said Naguar. While “Naps” will be without the services of Corey Cyrus, its leading goal scorer from last year, as well as defender Keston Smith and goalkeeper Jodel Wright, it is hoping that former national Under-17 forward Shahdon Winchester will return, to boost its chances.

“We are just waiting on Shahdon to make up his mind as to whether he will be coming back, we have a pretty good all-round team”, said the Physical Education teacher. Winchester, one of “Naps” main players last season, has moved up the ranks in his club W Connection, and is now a member of the Pro League team in the Championship Division.

The six-time South zone title holder has also secured the services of former Naps and “Strike Squad” player Leonson Lewis as technical director. Naps will begin its quest against Presentation College (South) in the second match of a double-header at Guaracara Park, from 5 pm.

In the North Zone, defending champion Mucurapo (East) will start its bid for another zonal title against Woodbrook in the second match of a double- header on the Fatima ground in Mucurapo. President of the SSFL, Ewing Davis said it’s always exciting when football for the youths of the nation is on stream.

“This is the channel that treats both education and sports. I expect it to be a very hectic season, I expect to see some good football”, said Davis. Chief of Staff of BG Trinidad and Tobago, Krysta Delima, said since the company began its partnership with the league in 2002, it has grown from strength to strength. She added that part of the company’s trust is to help in the development of youth through education and sport.

Hectic season predicted in SSFL.
T&T Newsday Reports.

The 2009 season of the British Gas Trinidad and Tobago (BGTT) Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) will kick off oday, with matches in the Championship Division.

The launch of this year’s competition was staged yesterday at the President’s Box, Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

SSFL president Ewing Davis expressed his eagerness ahead of the season opening day, stating, “it’s always an exciting feeling when football, for the youths of our nation, is the channel that treats with both education and sport.

“I expect it to be a very hectic season,” he added. “I expect to see some very good football.”

With the growth of girls football, within the SSFL atmosphere, Davis said, “it’s been a while but we foresee that girls football will be the football in the country in a little while.

“We expect girls football to get bigger than boys football,” he added. “We definitely expect that.”

Delivering the feature address was Krysta De Lima, Chief of Staff at BGTT, who pointed out that, “BG’s involvement in the SSFL began in 2002 and, since that time, we have seen this programme grow from strength to strength.”

Stating that BGTT began its involvement in Trinidad and Tobago’s social environment in 1989, De Lima noted, “in all of these programmes, we have placed a deliberate concentration on the development of youth through sport and education.”

She continued, “our primary goal is the sustainable development of projects that contribute directly towards this country’s own development objectives. Nowhere is this more tangible than in our investment in youth.

“We have engaged in a process of participation with various groups within the country to build powerful partnerships that contribute in some way towards the development of Trinidad and Tobago.

“This, in a nutshell, is the broad context in which we sponsor Secondary Schools Football,” she said. “We recognise that there are many paths to the goal of the development of an inclusive society. One of those paths can be through the use of your talents in football to forge a career of your own making and I urge you to take full advantage of it.”

Focussing her attention on the players, she affirmed, “remember that while winning is important, the lessons that you learn on the field, that of teamwork, leadership and dedication, are much more important as they will serve you in good stead as you grow in young adults.”

Other dignitaries at the SSFL launch were Even Pellerud, national women’s Under-17 team coach; and SSFL executive members Anthony Creed (first vice-president), William Wallace (second vice-president) and Azaad Khan (general secretary/treasurer).

Today, in the North Zone, defending champs Mucurapo (now East Mucurapo Secondary) will face newcomers Woodbrook (who have replaced the relegated Malick).

Fatima will meet QRC and St Anthony’s will square off against Trinity. St Mary’s are on a bye.

In the East Zone, champs San Juan (now San Juan North) will do battle against Arima (now Arima North), El Dorado (now El Dorado East) will meet St Augustine and debutants Sangre Grande (replacing the relegated Hillview) will face Trinity East. Toco are on a bye.

And in the South Zone Naparima, the 2008 winners, will open against arch-rivals Presentation San Fernando, Vessigny oppose St Benedict’s and Shiva Boys (in the zone at the expense of Pleasantville) meet Siparia.

Princes Town, who is on a bye, will start their challenge on Saturday. The Tobago and Central Zones of the Championship Division, will kick off on Tuesday, with Signal Hill and Carapichaima (now Carapichaima East) defending their titles.

Zonal Championship Divisions are scheduled to end by October 16, with the Big Five tournament beginning from October 19 to the final on October 27.