UPDATE! 5 US BASED PLAYERS IN T&T U20 WOMEN'S TEAM
BY NIGEL SIMON (GUARDIAN)[/color]
Senior team players Maylee Attin-Johnson, Kia Rigsby and Katrina Meyer head a list of five US-based players selected in a 24-member women’s Under-20 team leaving for Venezuela on Tuesday for a one-week tour.
Attin-Johnson, who has been a member of the national line-up for the past four years, is in her first year at Cumberland University.
Rigsby and Meyer are also in their first year of studies at Florida International University (FIU). The two other overseas players in the squad chosen after a practice match against VIBE CT 105 W Connection Under-16s are twins, Marissa and Maria Mohammed, who attend the University of Tampa, Florida. They will meet the team in Venezuela.
At the conclusion of another live-in camp at Frederick Settlement, Caroni, coach Jamaal Shabazz said:
“The main objectives of our camp were achieved. During the six-day stay in Venezuela we will be hoping to find some more answers as to how prepared we are for the 2006 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Final Round Qualification competition.”
The Concacaf Under-20 series, which will qualify three teams for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup next year takes place at two venues in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, from January 18 to 27.
T&T will compete in Group A with reigning champions Canada, Mexico and Panama, while Group B has El Salvador, USA Jamaica and Suriname.
In Venezuela, the T&T girls are expected to play two matches against the Venezuela Under-20 women’s team, the Venezuelan women’s league champions and a Universidad de Catolica women’s squad.
Asked why he choose Venezuela, Shabazz said:
“The Venezuelans play a similar style of football to Mexico and Panama, so by getting some matches against them the girls will have a feel of the opposition.”
Reflecting on the warm-up match against W Connection won by WC 3-0, Shabazz added:
“The youngsters of W Connection are very tough guys and, we having played against the Canadians before, know they are a similar kind of opposition in terms of competitiveness.
But in Mexico, we will be aiming for a different result than we got at the Ato Boldon Stadium, on Thursday.
Other US-based players, Shurnelle Burton, who played in the previous round of the Caribbean Football Union U-20 qualifiers in T&T, and Stephanie De Souza, were also involved in the camp.
Burton and first-choice goalkeeper Gail-Ann Thomas both picked up injuries during the training camp and were not considered for selection, while De Souza had to return to the USA.
T&T squad:
Goalkeepers: Kimica Forbes (Stokely Vale), Tricia Lawrence (St George’s College & Real Dimension), Maria Mohammed (Univ. of Tampa).
Defenders: Ayana Russell, Kennya Charles (EL Dorado & Joe Public), Anastasia Prescott (Real Dimension), Christine Rose (Real Dimension), Patrice Superville (Real Dimension), Tamar Watson (Real Dimension), Kia Rigsby (Florida International University), Katrina Meyer (North Carolina Upper State).
Midfield: Dernelle Mascall (Petrotrin), Aveann Douglas (Joe Public), Karen Forbes (Stokely Vale), Bianca Walker (St Joseph Convent & Real Dimension), Stephanie Barrow (Joe Public), Jemilia Mathlin (Real Dimensions), Marissa Mohammed (University of Tampa).
Strikers: Kennya Cordner (St Clair Coaching School), Candace Edwards (Stokely Vale), Janine Francois, Dinelle Douglas (Real Dimensions), Kermica Alexander (Memphis), Maylee Attin-Johnson (Cumberland University).
Technical staff: Jamaal Shabazz (head coach), Izzler Browne (assistant coach), Marlon Charles (assistant coach), Ricarda Nelson (manager), Jinelle James (assistant manager), Steve Frederick (equipment manager), Nicole Kistow (physiotherapist).
