Jen Cooper, who covers all aspects of North American women’s football and the Houston Dash football club made the journey to Port-of-Spain for Tuesday’s qualifier between T&T and Ecuador.
Cooper arrived in Port-of-Spain on Monday night and stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, the same base of the Ecuador women’s team. But today her heart stays with T&T.
Cooper was the person responsible for setting up the online donation page for the T&T team while in Dallas preparing for the Concacaf Final round. A page dedicated to T&T on her Web site keepernotes.com went on to raise close to US$20,000 for the Women Soca Warriors with donations coming from several fans in the United States and from as far as Singapore, Europe and Asia.
Cooper continued the donation drive which was expected to go through to the Women’s World Cup but ended with T&T’s.
“This team touched a lot of people and became most people’s second favourite in the United States. Women’s football has become very huge in the North American area and I was really hoping that we would have four Concacaf teams at the World Cup including T&T. We are always looking for a way to push Concacaf women’s football,” Cooper said.
“When Randy (Waldrum) reached out for assistance there was no way we could say no and the response has been overwhelming. Their journey has been an incredible one and I am so thrilled to have been part of it.
“Sadly it didn’t end the way we all wanted it but I think there is a great future for women’s football in T&T and the sport in general. Just being part of the whole atmosphere at the Stadium and seeing how the people came together was an amazing spectacle."