Jinelle James, leading goalscorer in the T&T Women’s Football League, heads a list of 32 players invited to start training with the senior women’s team.
James scored 18 goals this season while leading Joe Public to the league title and also to victory in the knockout series.
The squad also includes 10 schoolgirls currently campaigning in the Secondary School’s Football League, headed by Malick Senior Comprehensive’s Afiya Castle and Dernelle Mascall of Moruga Composite.
The team will start training on Monday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium as part of a three-year development programme.
Speaking about the programme, senior women’s team coach Jamaal Shabazz said:
“We are focusing on addressing deficiencies in our play at CONCACAF level. We have always done well at regional level but when it comes to Central and North American opposition we struggle.
“We could succumb to the cynics and close the programme down or we could accept our deficiencies and develop a long term programme to address them. We have chosen the latter,” added Shabazz.
“While we will continue to clamour for more international games and funding for the programme we acknowledge that serious work need to be done in terms of fitness, heading, shooting and finishing, goalkeeping and individual and collective defending. “Starting now gives us a realistic chance of improving over the next three years,” Shabazz said. T&T women’s training squad:
Goalkeepers:
Lineon Felix (Vandykes), Jana Walters (Petrotrin), Gail Ann Thomas (Toco), Tricia Lawrence (St. George’s College).
Defenders:
(Central) Nisa Goodridge, Kia Rigsby, Anastasia Prescott, (Real Dimension), Christine Rose (Providence Girls’ College), Patrice Superville (Pleasantville Senior Comp & W-Connection) Terrie Lisa John (Petrotrin), Ayana Hutchinson (Joe Public & El Dorado Senior Comp).
Flank defence/midfield:
Candace Allen (Tobago Phoenix), Afiya Castle (Real Dimension), Jinelle Nedd (Joe Public), Ashley Alonso (Providence).
Midfield:
Tasha St. Louis (Real Dimensions), Leslie Ann James, Tandia Taylor, Kathy Ann Nixon (Joe Public), Aveann Douglas (Joe Public & St. George’s College), Sedonna Agard (Stingrays), Dernelle Mascall (Moruga) Niasha Reyes (Petrotrin & Malick Senior Comp).
Strikers:
Jinelle James (Joe Public), Alania Burgin (Real Dimensions), Kennya Cordner (St. Clair Coaching School & Signal Hill Senior Comp), Natalie Desvignes (Petrotrin), Kermica Alexander (Memphis & Arima Senior Comp).
Technical Staff:
Jamaal Shabazz (Head Coach), Marlon Charles, Izler Browne (Assistant Coaches), Trevor Nottingham (Goalkeeping Coach), Steve Fredericks (Equipment Officer).