TWENTY THREE players were selected by national coach Jamaal Shabazz for a week-long camp, ahead of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-20 Women’s Final Round qualifiers here in Trinidad.
The camp will be held at Frederick Settlement, Caroni and runs from Sunday until the start of the CFU contest on November 13.
According to Shabazz, the technical staff will take a look at the 23 players during the course of next week, before narrowing the squad to 18 on November 11.
The players will test their readiness for the series when they oppose the national senior squad in a practice match from 4 pm on Sunday at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.
Under the captaincy of Aveann Douglas, the Under-20 unit includes a number of experienced players, including the American-based trio of Katrina Meyer, fellow defender Kia Rigsby and striker Maylee Attin-Johnson.
Other senior players on the training squad are goalkeeper Gail-Ann Thomas, defenders Ayanna Russell, Christine Rose and Anastasia Prescott, playmaker Dernelle Mascall, winger Jamilia Mathlin and pint-sized forward Kennya Cordner.
Completing the team are goalkeepers Kamica Forbes and Tricia Lawrence, defenders Patrice Superville, Tamar Watson and Kenya Charles, midfielders Karen Forbes, Janine Francois and Stephanie Barrow, and strikers Janeil Nivet, Candice Edwards and the lanky Bianca Walker.
The CFU tournament, featuring Jamaica, Suriname and Haiti kicks off on November 13 with a double-header at the Larry Gomes Stadium, with Haiti opposing Suriname and TT meeting Jamaica. Two days later, Jamaica will face Suriname and the national team hosts Haiti while, on November 17, the Jamaicans square off against Haiti while the TT lasses meet Suriname.
The top three teams will advance to the CONCACAF Final Round Qualification in Mexico, following which three teams will progress to the 2006 FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Championships in Russia.