T&T Under-20 Women’s team has intensified its preparations for next year’s CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship at the Ato Boldon Stadium, January 18-28, courtesy of quality time with both the locals and overseas based players.
Coach Jamaal Shabazz said he has been capitalizing on the down-time of the girls, particularly the overseas, who are away from schools and the girls have responded positively.
The team’s preparation has become even more meaningful as Shabazz was able to borrow the GPS monitors from the national senior Men’s team.
“The under-20s have been very competitive with each other, fighting for a spot on the team. The intensity is there and we were fortunate to get the GPS heart rate monitors borrowed from the senior national men’s team, so we were able to monitor the intensity of the work, the quality of the work, as well as the rest and recovery periods” Shabazz said.
He noted “It is a joy working with them right now. We’re singing that we wish it could go on forever, because now the training has a lot more meaning, a lot more purpose and the girls have been competing very well and taking things in stride.”
The under-20s have been at a live-in camp while the senior players train five days a week ahead of another CONCACAF Women’s tournament later this year. Both teams will meet a second time on Saturday, the closing time for the camp, at 3”30pm at the Larry Gomes Stadium in another friendly. The first meeting between the teams ended in a 2-0 victory for the seniors on December 8 at the Ato Boldon Stadium. But this time Shabazz said both teams with be strengthened by the inclusion of their respective foreign base players.
After the game the u-20s will break for a couple days and return on December 27. The camp comprises 28 players, of which seven are from overseas. The team will be joined by two other foreign players, expected on Boxing Day, and another in early January.