Senior national women’s footballer Karyn Forbes is back in the seaside village of Plymouth where she is currently preparing for her fourth instalment of the “Kick it with Karyn” football tournament on Saturday.
Forbes, 26, is currently pursuing a Masters in Communications, Management and Counselling at Northwood University in Texas, however she returns home annually to do her part in promoting and developing football on the island.
The event will showcase several matches inclusive of under 12 boys and girls and a open match for men.
In an interview with Newsday, Forbes said, “The aim of this competition is really to give back to the community and also to raise awareness in youth football in Trinidad and Tobago. Every year, I continue to develop the tournament by increasing the scope of the event.
“In the first year of the event, there where only matches for men. In the second year, I introduced women matches, and in the third year I developed on those matches. This year, the under 12 boys and girls were introduced to the event. In the future I would like to establish my own league on the island.”
Forbes, being a national footballer since being a student at Signal Hill Secondary School, said there is a lot of room for the development of football.
She added, “We really don’t have a lot of events aimed at football development in Tobago. It is important to have the youth playing football consistently. There is even a need to improve the infrastructure and the equipment within the sport as it is lacking. I have noticed this within the sport from primary school all the way up to secondary schools.
One of my goals is to help the youth to become recognised not only in Tobago but in Trinidad as well.
This would afford them more opportunities to get on the national team.”
As the teams gear up for Saturday, there is more than bragging rights to be won, as Forbes told Newsday that there is over $10,000 in cash prizes, trophies and medals on offer.