– Preparations begin for CFU and CONCACAF youth tournaments

THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) announced yesterday that it has begun preparations for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Boys’ U-14 Challenge Trophy and CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship, which are both set for August, following the encampment of the two squads.

The CFU Boys’ U-14 Challenge Trophy is scheduled for August 2-12 in Curacao, while the CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship is fixed for the IMG Academy, Florida, USA from August 6 to 13.

The national encampment started on July 8 and will conclude on July 16, at the Guyana Fire Service Training Facility, Leonora and features a provisional squad of 35 boys and 35 girls, with Bryan Joseph and Akilah Castello as the assigned head coaches of respective squads.

Among the 34-member female squad named are 10 international-based players from Canada and the USA selected by the GFF International Women’s Coordinator Paul Beresford, 23 from the GFF Academy Training Centre (ATC), and one player from Region One. Members from the Boys’ squad are all national players from the ATC.

Guyana are one of five teams placed in Group C of the CFU Boys U-14 Challenge Trophy along with Curacao, Bonaire, Trinidad and Tobago and Aruba while the U-15 Girls have been placed in Group E with The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and St Lucia.

Guyana are scheduled to play their first match in the U-15 Championship against St. Lucia on August 6 at 11:00hrs, followed by Cayman Islands on August 7 at 09:00hrs and The Bahamas on August 9 at 11:00hrs. The playoff will begin on August 10, following the group qualifiers, with the finals set for August 13 at 11:00hrs.

A shortlist of the squad will be done at the conclusion of the current camp. Two additional encampment periods are set for July 22-26 and July 29-August 1 respectively.

Girls’ U-15 shortlisted squad:
Sidney Facey, Ludesha Reynolds, Veyansa Hope, Akeela Hodge, Jaida Brooks, Anaya Willabus, Ashaya Doobay, Sara Matthias, Ayana Walker, Melissa Torres, Nikiita Wayne, Aliea Moses, Samara Rodrigues, Latesha Sutherland, Amanda Mc Kenzie, Leah Perreira, Hasha Holder, Ronette Grant, Affia Hartman, Samantha Banfield, Mariah Johnson, Anastasia Salvadore, Sukhayiah Willie, Jenea Knight, Alanna Clarke, Alleia Alleyne, Wendy Holden, Shenika Atkinson, Euriane Mentore, Shauna Edwards, Jalade Trim, Nakasi St Jules, Shamaya Daniels and Kersti Thomas.

Boys’ U-15 shortlisted squad:
Ian Gomes, Dellon Jones, Kimoni Milne, Shoran James, Kevon Scott, Dwayne Bess, Devon Padmore, Neron Barrow, Mark Morgan, Tyrice Dennis, Makhayah Jarvis, Colin Henriques, Samuel Garnett, Tyquan Brummel, Joshua Holder, Kevin Mullin, Atwaun Vincente, Aaron Austin, Daniel Lowe, Brandon Solomon, Seon Sue, Jaleei Alcindor, Alexander Davidson, Ofancy Winter, Shavid Hernandez, Lincoln James, Matrim Martin, Daniel Hopkinson, Marcus Tudor, Gerald Wittington, Zidana Ramdeholl, Keishawn Smith, Kwesi Gill, Romel Medas and Oswin Archer.