Minor League Thread.

[Deeks]

Congrats

[Tallman]

Venezuelan club Guerreros FC seek to leave mark on Trinidad and Tobago football
By Grevic Alvarado (T&T Newsday)

MADE up mostly of Venezuelan migrant players, the Guerreros FC (Warriors Football Club) team is trying to grow within TT soccer with good performances and victories.

Anchored in the Zone League, Guerreros FC advanced to the round of 16 undefeated with two wins and two draws in the regular round.

They seek to be champions to climb to the next higher categories of Trinidadian soccer.

They are led by coach Lennin Gómez and his technical assistant Edwar Pineda. Guerreros FC have one local player on their roster – Geremy Gilbert, a striker who has not yet been able to officially debut with the team in the league.

“It is a great opportunity that TT soccer is giving us to be able to participate.

“Most of these players are young people who left their country looking for a better future for their families and came here to work at anything, but always with soccer in their hearts,” said Gómez.

The captain is Richard García, the team’s goalkeeper and who is also a minor league coach.

“We are already making TT history, but we want more. We are looking for the team to become a professional club and for us to be able to represent TT in international competitions in the future,” said García.

He recognises Guarreros FC is a long-term project, but with the solid bases to climb the steps are humility, work and above all organisation.

“We have several players on our team who made it to the professional league in Venezuela: Miguel Centeno, José Centeno and José Gregorio Astudillo,” García said. He also had the opportunity to be part of a professional club in Venezuela.

“We thank the organisers of Trinidadian soccer because they have opened the doors of their league to us.

“We are very excited to be able to help the Trinidadian professional league grow and become one of the best in the Caribbean with organisation and work, but above all with love for soccer,” said Gómez.

Guerreros FC is a team fully funded by three of the players. They have sought financial resources to cover the expenses of the tournament and of their own teammates who do not have money to pay for taxis to attend training sessions or games.

Guerreros FC train from Tuesday to Thursday at Mandela Park, Port of Spain and now they are preparing to face Seekers in the next round of the Zone League this Sunday to 6pm in the Police Field, Port of Spain.

[asylumseeker]

Venezuelan club Guerreros FC seek to leave mark on Trinidad and Tobago football
By Grevic Alvarado (T&T Newsday)

MADE up mostly of Venezuelan migrant players, the Guerreros FC (Warriors Football Club) team is trying to grow within TT soccer with good performances and victories.

Anchored in the Zone League, Guerreros FC advanced to the round of 16 undefeated with two wins and two draws in the regular round.

They seek to be champions to climb to the next higher categories of Trinidadian soccer.

They are led by coach Lennin Gómez and his technical assistant Edwar Pineda. Guerreros FC have one local player on their roster – Geremy Gilbert, a striker who has not yet been able to officially debut with the team in the league.

“It is a great opportunity that TT soccer is giving us to be able to participate.

“Most of these players are young people who left their country looking for a better future for their families and came here to work at anything, but always with soccer in their hearts,” said Gómez.

The captain is Richard García, the team’s goalkeeper and who is also a minor league coach.

“We are already making TT history, but we want more. We are looking for the team to become a professional club and for us to be able to represent TT in international competitions in the future,” said García.

He recognises Guarreros FC is a long-term project, but with the solid bases to climb the steps are humility, work and above all organisation.

“We have several players on our team who made it to the professional league in Venezuela: Miguel Centeno, José Centeno and José Gregorio Astudillo,” García said. He also had the opportunity to be part of a professional club in Venezuela.

“We thank the organisers of Trinidadian soccer because they have opened the doors of their league to us.

“We are very excited to be able to help the Trinidadian professional league grow and become one of the best in the Caribbean with organisation and work, but above all with love for soccer,” said Gómez.

Guerreros FC is a team fully funded by three of the players. They have sought financial resources to cover the expenses of the tournament and of their own teammates who do not have money to pay for taxis to attend training sessions or games.

Guerreros FC train from Tuesday to Thursday at Mandela Park, Port of Spain and now they are preparing to face Seekers in the next round of the Zone League this Sunday to 6pm in the Police Field, Port of Spain.

That works out well.

[Flex]

Benny doubles up as Belmont beat Pitchmen 4-3 in CoC.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).

Former national midfielder Che Benny scored a double as Belmont FC edged Pitchmen FC 4-3 in the Champion of Champions Play-Off on Friday night at the La Horquetta Rangers Recreation Ground in Phase Two, La Horquetta.

The Belmont men should have ended with a much more convincing scoreline but Pitchmen goalkeeper Shakeem Darius was a hero on the night, saving two penalties from Benny and Kyle Thomas to restrict the scoreline. Benny’s brace was followed by another double strike for the Belmont men by Malachi Celestine.

Strangely, however, it was the southerners who raced out in front early, courtesy of goals from Nathaniel Dyer and Tequan Rodriguez that handed them a 2-0 lead at the half-way stage.

The Pitchmen other goal came from the boot Dyer for his second of the match.

Meanwhile, Real Central and Tobago Phoenix shared the points in a 1-1 tie at the same venue.

The Central men opened the scoring with a 35th minute item from Bryant Constantine, and with the game heading toward a 1-0 win for them, Javon Williams grabbed an 86th minute equaliser for a share of the points.

Meanwhile, Dream Team from Sangre Grande earned the right to contest the Champion of Champions play-offs by virtue of beating Marayo FC to clinch the title in the Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) last week Wednesday.

With the win, Dream Team will join the CoC this coming week.

[Tallman]

Mayaro Football League kicks off on Saturday
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)

Two first-half strikes from Shakeeme Octave and a brilliant solo effort from Akeel Paul saw the Mayaro All Star team defeat Seed of Greatness Biche FC 3-0 in an exhibition match at the opening ceremony of the 2023 bpTT-AMSF Mayaro Football League, at Mayaro Recreation Ground on Sunday.

Decked in red and white, suiting the Republic Day holiday, the combined Mayaro team unofficially got their campaign under way with a win over the defending champs.

The launch marked the return of the popular league after a four-year hiatus owing to the pandemic. The league kicks off on Saturday and will feature more than ten teams.

Goal scorer Octave was pleased for the tournament’s return and believes initiatives like this help unearth new talent.

“It’s great to be back out and competing in the Mayaro Football League and my goals were due to the overall team effort. I look forward to playing with Top Form FC when the league starts, and we are geared up and determined to win.

“I’ve admired this competition since I was young, and it is a great platform for players of any age to compete and entertain our football-loving community,” he said.

A statement by CJ Communications said the competition has been in existence since 1998, has been supported by energy company bpTT from inception, and is currently managed by the All Mayaro Sports Foundation (AMSF).

Sharing words of encouragement on behalf of bpTT was project production team lead Kester Alexis.

“This partnership with the AMSF is just one facet in terms of nurturing an all-rounded community. With a proud football legacy, this beautiful game embraced the strength of unity that sport brings, while developing life skills in the participants including dedication and teamwork.

“This league is a great platform for young people to express positive energy and uplift themselves. It is also a nurturing ground for future stars, and powered by their energy, we expect an excellent competition.”

Featuring teams from across the southeastern region, this year the league will introduce an open competition format where players of any age can register with teams to compete in the Razack Jan League and the Leston Paul Knockout Cup.

As part of the opening ceremony, the AMSF also honoured several people who contributed to the development of football at the community and national level. Plaques were presented to proud recipients including Peter Alfred, Randy Hagley, Joseph Weekes, Stacy-Ann Sylvan, Anderson Simon, Donnamay McIntosh, Donville Chitan, Wayne Octave, Wendell Perez and Shezir Mohammed.

Those present included Tricia Lynch, managing director of Hydro Tech Ltd, and Renelle Kissoon, councillor for Cocal-Mafeking.

TT Super League president Jameson Rigues was recently promoted to the role of AMSF chairman. Rigues said in order to encourage greater youth participation, the league will feature a youth football festival during a weekend in October.

“The renewal and rebirth of the Mayaro Football League is another step in terms of re-engineering the approach of AMSF in terms of sports management in the wider community. To realise this broad vision, however, we need the support of all stakeholders.

“We must thank bpTT for empowering our community through the avenue of sport. I invite people from all over the country to visit us and witness the spectacle that is the Mayaro Football League.”

[Tallman]

Barataria Ball Players to celebrate 50 years
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Barataria Ball Players (BBP) Sports and Cultural Club will celebrate their 50-year anniversary with a week-long host of activities beginning Tuesday (February 6) and ending on February 13 (Carnival Tuesday).

A highlight of the activities to be hosted by the club's alumni which includes former national football players Marvin Faustin, Maurice Alibey, and Dennis Lawrence, all under the guidance of coach Everald "Gally" Cummings, will be a five-team football fiesta at the Barataria Cricket Oval, Sixth Avenue, Barataria on Wednesday (February 7) from 4 pm.

In addition, Arnold Dwarika, Curtis Celestine, Aurtis Whitley, Brian James, Garfield De Silva, Ronnie Charles, Colin Rocke, Anthony Del Peche, Ross Russell and Wayne Alfred are among past players for Barataria Ball Players to have don the national senior team colours while Justin Latapy, Leslie Russell Jr, Anthony Marshall, Devon Caseman, Keith Serrette, Brian Noray, Marlon Thomas, Sterling Figaro, Gregory Toussaint, Brian Griffith, Gerrard Mc Cloud and Sherwyn Besson did likewise at the national youth level.

The tournament will feature Canada-based teams, Just Sweat (Montreal), and Foot Mixers (Toronto/USA) the latter of which is managed by the tournament's founder Nicholas Hernandez, and the local trio of Masters, Challengers, and Barataria Ball Players.

According to Ronald Greenidge, a past player at BBP who went on to represent Canada at the national youth (Under-17) cricket level the week of activities will be opened to all those who have been affiliated to the club past and present as well as the general public.

Greenidge was also quick to point out that Barataria Ball Players Sports and Cultural Club which was founded back in 1973 by a group of friends inclusive of Lennox Toussaint, Noble Kissoon, Fred "Mighty Composer" Mitchell, Dunmore Burke, Hamilton John, and Basil "Barney" Smith, the first coach of the football team, Christopher Auguste, Earl Cunningham and Edward George to compete in both the Glaverston Football League and Aranguez Football League, before venturing into the East Zone competition.

Not only did the club compete with much success as a football outfit but also participated in netball, basketball and zonal cricket, emerging as North Zone Cricket Council champions in the latter within recent years.

Greenidge was also full of praise for Thomas who he said dedicated his life to the upkeep of the player cricket field and helped mould the the cricket part of the club to what it is today.

Up to today, the club remains one of the only surviving clubs among community-based organisations throughout T&T, and more importantly, is the only organisation in the Barataria/San-Juan/Laventille and environs which participates in both cricket and football at a national level.

Among the club's achievements is its participation in National Football and Zonal competitions for over 42 years, with the highlight being runners-up in the National Football League’s Division FA Cup final in 1981.

The club has participated in National and Zonal cricket competitions since 1978, and currently campaigns in the National Cricket Championship Division and has also participated in National Basketball North Zone competitions, in addition to establishing an Industrial Football League in the Barataria community.

Entertaining will be provided by VIBE City 105 Radio disc jockey, Sensational Sammy, himself a former player at Malick Secondary, while food will also be provided for sale by Sensational Sammy Seafood Plus, and Ma'Sons Delights.