By Rawle Toney

HEAD coach Mark Rodrigues yesterday released his ‘Lady Jags’ roster for the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Houston, Texas next month.

Guyana’s senior National female football team, more popularly known as the ‘Lady Jags’, will attempt to be one of two teams who will head to the Olympic Games in Brazil as CONCACAF representatives.
The tournament, scheduled for February 10-21 in Houston and Frisco, Texas, will see Guyana play a game against Canada on Thursday, February 11, at the BBVA Compass Stadium.
Coach Rodrigues’ roster reads: Chante Sandiford, Simone Busby, Ruth George (GK), Defenders: Julia Gonsalves, Kelly Pelz-Butler, Justine Rodrigues, Briana DeSouza, Bria Williams, Leah- Marie Ramalho, Kayla DeSouza.
Midfielders: Mariam El-Masri, Alison Heydorn, Ashley Rodrigues (C), Kailey Leila, Ashlee Savona, Dana Bally, Olivia Gonsalves, Brittany Persaud and Forwards: Calaigh Copland and Otesha Charles.
Clement Brown will serve as Rodrigues’ assistant, along with goalkeeping coach Richard Reynolds, Sheron Abrams as manager and physiotherapist David Lawrence.
It will be only the second meeting between Guyana and Canada with the first being at the 2010 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The World Cup champions (USA) will face Costa Rica to open the eight-team CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.
The United States have won the past three tournaments that determine the Olympic representatives from CONCACAF, and went on to win the gold medal in the last three Olympics.
Meanwhile, Ashley Rodrigues, who will be wearing the captain’s band in her second major CONCACAF tournament (the 2010 Gold Cup being the first), said that she’s proud of her team’s accomplishments since resuscitating Guyana’s women’s football programme in 2009, and she’s looking forward to the tournament in Texas.
“I feel that our team is very ready for the challenge. There’s an excitement among our squad, and a true sense of determination and will to give this our all. We’ve responded well to team training and preparations. We know that the time we have to train together leading up to competition is crucial and everyone puts a large emphasis on using the time as efficiently as possible,” said Rodrigues.
Despite their spirited performance at the 2010 in Cancun Mexico, Guyana failed to pick up a win, but Rodrigues is optimistic that this time around things will be different.
She added: “We’ve always been an underdog in these competitions, and that hasn’t changed. The great part is we like it that way. We know we’ve earned the right to be where we are, nothing has ever been handed to us, or been easy for us. It’s because of these things, that six years later, we’re determined to earn better outcomes this time around”
It’s been six years since the Lady Jags played a match in Guyana, but the team’s captain thanked the fans locally who throughout the years are always in support, as she pointed out, “we don’t play for the personal recognition; we play for you, for Guyana.”

The Schedule:
Wednesday, February 10 – Toyota Stadium
18:00hrs (17:00hrs) Puerto Rico vs Mexico
20:30hrs (19:30hrs) USA vs Costa Rica
Thursday, February 11 – BBVA Compass Stadium
18:00hrs (17:00hrs) Guatemala vs Trinidad & Tobago
20:30hrs (19:30hrs) Canada vs. Guyana
Saturday, February 13 – Toyota Stadium
13:30hrs (12:30hrs) Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico
16:00hrs (15:00hrs) Mexico vs USA
Sunday, February 14 – BBVA Compass Stadium
13:30hrs (12:30hrs) Guyana vs Guatemala
16:00hrs (15:00hrs) Trinidad & Tobago vs Canada
Monday, February 15 – Toyota Stadium
18:00hrs (17:00hrs) Mexico vs Costa Rica
20:30hrs (19:30hrs) USA vs Puerto Rico
Tuesday, February 16 – BBVA Compass Stadium
18:00hrs (17:00hrs) Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guyana
20:30hrs (19:30hrs) Canada vs Guatemala
Friday, February 19 – BBVA Compass Stadium
17:30hrs (16:30hrs) 1B vs 2A 20:30hrs (19:30hrs) 1A vs 2B
Sunday, February 21 – BBVA Compass Stadium
17:00hrs (16:00hrs) Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2