This SPORTLIGHT series is brought to you courtesy Health Net Caribbean Limited (hncl.co.tt).
Aaliyah Prince is a clever football striker who has come through the national youth ranks over the years. Starting at the U-15 level, Prince went on to the U-17s and soon after promoted to the National Under-20, at just sixteen years of age.
The Chelsea Women Football Club fanatic is a prolific goal scorer but is much more popular for her dribbling skills, creativity and nippiness on the ball. The entertainment created by her skills is much more amplified because of the player's size, Aaliyah is small in frame but also as strong as they come. In terms of women football in Trinidad and Tobago and her current status, she is definitely on her way to football Royalty, as her name suggests.
Where born, where grew up, schools attended/attending including primary, etc?
I was born in February, 2001 at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Growing up in Morvant, I attended Morvant Anglican Primary School and then Success Laventille Secondary after completing the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination.
What led to your becoming a footballer?
Since I was small growing up, my uncle used to always watch Chelsea FC and I just began watching with him. I was about seven or eight years old and I began to like the game. On approaching my teenage years as an athlete, I liked track and field. After many pleas from family and friends to try out at football I decided to give it a try and to this day I have no regrets. Football is my life.
What has been your experience like representing T&T so far?
Working with the various teams has been and continues to be a great pleasure. The current Under-20 team is a competitive one and I am glad that I am able to contribute, no matter how small the contribution was. The team is good but we have some stuff to work on still, both individually and as a group but that will come with time.
What does it take to become a really good footballer?
In order to become a great footballer, the most important ingredient is sacrifice. A player must be good at communicating, selfless and full of heart and these are all off the field attributes which make a good player. On the field assets are speed, agility, toughness combined with clever thinking and simplicity. Hard work must be put in if you want to achieve the right level of fitness to make you a top player.