GUYANA’S female National football team, popularly known as the ‘Lady Jags’, will open their week-long camp today as they heighten preparations for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifier.The Lady Jags, placed in Group Four, will compete against St Kitts and Nevis on August 21 and Cuba two days later in the Dominican Republic.
The team is made up primarily of professional players, plying their trade in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, as well as women in the U.S. Collegiate system.
Head coach Mark Rodrigues who, along with Technical Director Claude Bolton, hosted a camp in Toronto, Canada last month, believes that the team, being dormant since their historic run in 2010, still have plenty of ground to cover in order to retain their status in Caribbean football.
According to Rodrigues, the camp which runs from Saturday through Sunday July 26, will focus primarily to get players to gel as a unit and comprises tactical and functional sessions, while addressing the team’s fitness.
“Of course we are excited to be playing in Olympic Qualifiers. Yet again, we just do not just want to participate, we intend to leave a lasting impression on field and continue to leave a lasting impression on women’s football in Guyana,” the women’s head coach noted.
In 2010, the Lady Jags qualified for the Women’s Gold Cup in Cancun Mexico, becoming the first Guyanese national team to feature at the pinnacle of CONCACAF football, where they played against the hosts, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
“There is no difference this time around compared to 2010 – the goal is and remains the same,” Rodrigues said, while adding, “the Lady Jags, similar to the men, are a vehicle to bring Guyanese together worldwide. This is what we have to use as a catalyst for the physical and social development of the youths in our country.”
Meanwhile, Bolton, speaking on team’s expectation, especially since the women’s team is Guyana’s most successful at all levels, made it clear, “We have no illusions. We know that this group is not expected, nor have they been prepared, to compete at the highest levels. However, coach Rodrigues and every single player have proudly and eagerly accepted the challenge. This effort can be the catalyst for making certain that we never face such a reality again.”