fatman, tempo...nice points each.
question for fatman: why one and not both? yes, we need to develop the right infrastructure and systems from grassroots. but we must also allow anyone with a T&T passport to stake their claim to represent us. it's good for our local girls to see there may be bigger stronger better players out there, ready to eat their food. it should serve as inspiration and determination to improve. it should remove all complacency and be a reminder that the bubble is much larger than our twin isle. and they will learn about training techniques, nutrition, work ethic and improve as they train and befriend their foreign based counterparts. just like our local men can gain alot when they get to train with the likes of Yorke and Latapy...it' all an important part of their development. As long as the actual selection process is not unbiased and being foreign based is not an automatic tciket for making a team, then including the foreign based should prove complementary to the other types of player development you mention.
Fiho I agree with many of the sentiments expressed by both yourself and tempo. This however is not a simple matter,as many make it out to be.
I do not believe bringing 12 players into a team (many of who have never stepped foot on our island)one month before a tournament and simply dropping over 16 players who had trained for over 2 years is the answer.
This can also easily result in player disenchantment, I do not think this thing was done with much thought. I also wonder why the financing to make this move was not available three years ago whaen the development of our players was paramount.
I respect your opinion which has some merit, but something just does not seem right to me, I feel our priorities have been gotten all wrong and actually think it is we(coaches, teachers, administrators) who have failed our young girls.
I actually believe home grown girls have more right to the bounty of our country than some one who has never stepped foot on our shores. We owe it to them to do all in our power to develop their abilities.